
Class. 
Book. 

OopigktN . 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSrr. 



The Divine Gift of 
Mediumship 



THE DIVINE GIFT OF 
MEDIUMSHIP 



LECTURES ON THE PROBLEMS OF LIFE 
Given by~> jf 
RICHMOND 1^ BISHOP 

c^t©2e 

School of Natural Science 

Boston, cMassachusetts 

1914—1915 



fcsTOP)^ 

PUBLISHING 
HOUSE 

BOSTON 






Copyright IQ15 
By Richmond Iy. Bishop 



AUG 12 1915 



©CI.A410089 



INTRODUCTION 

THE gift of mediumship is a subject of great 
significance and profound interest to all stu- 
dents of spiritual matters; and yet it has al- 
ways 'been difficult to obtain information about it. 
Very little has been written, or placed in available 
form for the inquirer. To this task Mr. Bishop has 
brought his own splendid gifts as a spiritual teacher, 
and the result is here given, under the title of "The 
Divine Gift of Mediumship." Thus at the start the 
author shows his realization that mediumship is a 
divine gift, and the student is prepared for the rev- 
erent treatment accorded it in this book. No difficult 
or technical language is used. The reader is given 
valuable instruction in spiritual growth, in the one 
way that is always most acceptable and vitally in- 
teresting — namely, in the story of the author's own 
development. This story precedes the lectures, lay- 
ing the foundation for the application of principles 
brought out by the author's experiences. 

When anyone assumes to teach others, the question 
always arises : How does he know these things ? What 
is his authority? And finally, there is often the feel- 
ing, when the teacher merely expounds and affirms, 
that the student's problem is in some way different ; 
that his life is more difficult, his conditions harder 



than others, and hence that the easy progress indi- 
cated by the instructions given is not possible for him. 
This usual condition is fully met by Mr. Bishop in 
this book, by the simple and direct way in which he 
tells the story of his spiritual experiences, from early 
childhood, to his entrance into public work. It is 
thus seen that the spiritual growth which he is trying 
to help others attain, came to him through the daily 
experiences that are common to all men ; through the 
joys and sorrows that come into every life. Thus the 
way is made easy, because each one recognizes some- 
thing of his own intimate life in the story of the 
author's life. To be able to tell a personal experi- 
ence, in a way that appeals to all, is the supreme 
achievement of the writer. This Mr. Bishop has done 
with a charm of style that holds the reader's interest 
throughout, and a clearness of detail that gives the 
best possible reason why he is fitted to speak as a 
teacher, on the subjects of the lectures that follow. 

A. H. C. 



CONTENTS 



Chapter 


Introduction ..... 


Page 

9 


I. 


Autobiographical .... 


13 


II. 


Natural Science .... 


73 


III. 


Life ...... 


81 


IV. 


Character. ..... 


89 


V. 


Charity ...... 


97 


VI. 


Harmony ..... 


105 


VII. 


The Problem of Life and the Wel- 






fare of Humanity 


113 


VIII. 


Prayer ...... 


125 


IX. 


Love ...... 


135 


X. 


The Voices of Silence . 


143 


XL 


The Unknown .... 


151 


XII. 


The Relationship of the Unseen to 






the Seen ..... 


171 


XIII. 


The Spiritual .... 


185 



The Divine Gift of 
Mediumship 



CHAPTER I. 



AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL. 

The Harmonial Philosophy of Natural Science 
reveals the great eternal light that will shine down 
through the ages and enable man to recognize the 
spiritual laws that interblend in what is called by 
the materialist the physical laws. These laws have 
not entered the consciousness of the material 
scientist because he is living on the plane of phy- 
sical or material investigation and studying the 
phenomena of effects in that realm which does not 
offer its wonderful world of causation to the mind 
that is dense to the spiritual perception that Nature 
unfolds through spirit. 

The time has come when the materialist must be 
questioned as to the cause of phenomena, and as to 



14 THE DIVINE GIFT 

the life beyond so-called death. He must answer 
us as man to man, not as the scientist who will 
reply only in the language of external conclusions, 
but as an individual who has become familiar with 
the processes of Nature, and whose own soul sees 
within the material forms and knows that there is 
no effect without a cause, no result except through 
progressive development, no such thing as inertia 
or death, but a change of form and combination of 
matter, and an endless cycle of infinite life that 
calls him through his awakened mind to his immor- 
tal spirit to answer the questions of the world in 
clear and independent reasoning, and to maintain 
the truth of Nature's laws and Nature's life as it 
points to Deity and to immortality. If the under- 
standing of the materialists could be opened to the 
importance of this recognition, and realize what 
result such doubts have upon their own develop- 
ment and how unfortunately they have retarded the 
world's consciousness of spiritual truth by their 
own inflexible statements, they would weigh the 
evidence very carefully before they gave forth opin- 
ion that brings doubt to the minds that rely upon 
the investigations of learned men. 

And furthermore if they had the slightest con- 
ception of their own regret as they awaken in the 
spiritual sphere and come to a realization of their 
own earthly blindness, they surely would enter into 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 15 

the portal of spiritual truth while here, and where 
causation reveals itself so lovingly. 

During the years that I gave to the experiences 
and investigations of the spiritual conditions, it was 
my privilege to be shown some of the lowest planes 
of development as well as the highest. My life had 
been dedicated to the search for truth. Experiences 
of such a nature, out of the usual things of daily 
life, had brought me to the consciousness that there 
was a wonderful power and wonderful expressions 
intermingling with the usual affairs that were not 
well understood. My desire for the truth regarding 
these manifestations led me to very careful, very 
thorough investigations, and I was ready to sacri- 
fice many earthly privileges if I could but satisfy 
myself regarding what seemed to me the greatest 
truth of life. 

Every step of the way was an onward march up 
the heights of spiritual illumination and experience, 
a perfectly natural result of my own organism, my 
love of truth, my fearlessness of results, and my 
love of knowledge. In this quest I was guided by 
one of the spiritual masters who has told me that 
he stood by the side of my dear mother and guarded 
our organisms before J was born. This guardian 
angel from the sphere of spirit said that from this 
point of view my life was in his care, and that 
through my earthly experience of studentship and 



16 THE DIVINE GIFT 

of teaching, he would accompany me and that 
throughout eternity we would be associated in this 
spiritual progression. Under these conditions I 
prepared for my life work. 

The following brief sketch of some of the most 
important experiences of my life, may give a better 
understanding of my preparation for the work I 
have undertaken as a teacher and practitioner of 
Natural Science. 

I was born in Cornwallis, Kings County, Nova 
Scotia, August 12, 1868, of Scotch and English an- 
cestry. My father, John Leander Bishop, was a 
man of sterling characteristics, fearless, just, hon- 
est and kind. My mother, Sarah (Bigelow) Bishop, 
was a woman of tender, sympathetic qualities, noble 
and loving. The recollections of our home life and 
of my brothers and sisters, are very vivid and go 
easily back to the time when I was only four years 
old. 

My mother and father and their people had true 
psychic gifts that are especially characteristic of the 
Scotch race, but these experiences were not under- 
stood by them, and their religious beliefs did not 
allow any confidence in the manifestations that 
came from time to time. 

One of these spiritual manifestations they after- 
ward told me of came at the time my little brother 
passed away in the year 1865, just at twilight, when 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 17 

my mother, greatly grieved by the death of her 
little boy, was alone in the room, waiting for my 
father, who had just gone to the spring near by, 
for the drinking water. 

On my father's return he noticed that my mother 
was very pale, and he asked her if she were ill. She 
said that she was not, but she said that in the room 
where the little form had been laid, she heard the 
sound as of a thousand hands clapping — so it was 
not strange if she looked pale and disturbed. 

My father tried to persuade her that this was 
impossible — and that she was nervous from the 
shock of their child's transition. She asked him to 
sit beside her and he did so. In a few minutes the 
room was again filled with the sound of the clapping 
of many hands. My father went directly into the 
room, and all was silent. He examined the room 
thoroughly, and could find no visible cause of the 
sound, then returned to mother. As soon as he 
was again seated there was an outburst of beautiful 
music. They recognized the voices of dear friends 
and relatives who had passed on to the higher life, 
and must have received some peace and comfort 
from this wonderful demonstration of love that was 
given them in their sorrow. This music was re- 
peated during the next seven days at the same 
twilight hour. After that through the following 
years I have heard my father and mother speak of 



18 THE DIVINE GIFT 

the beautiful emanations of light and the wonderful 
interblending of colors that usually came at night 
after they had retired. 

My mother was a wonderfully gifted medium, but 
did not understand her power, and so the use was 
not made of it that would have been possible other- 
wise. Dear, faithful mother to her family, an ex- 
ample of honor and of love! She has now joined 
her dear ones that are living in the spirit spheres. 

In 1872, my dear, old grandmother, Margaret 
Bigelow (my mother's mother), was not well, so my 
mother wanted her to come to our home that she 
could better take care of her, and she was with us 
for about a year. My grandfather was a ship 
builder, and in the early days had lived in a log 
cabin which I well remember. My grandmother's 
visit to us was a great delight to me. She was one 
of the true, old-fashioned type of women that 
blessed that generation, and my boyish heart went 
out to her in the fullest of love. We were devoted 
companions. She evidently found something in me 
that won more than the usual love of a grandparent, 
and I was very lonely for her after she went back 
to her home. With the loving wisdom of age, she 
cautioned my mother to be careful of me, and 
watchful over me — for she felt that I had different 
qualities then than is usual among little children. 
Doubtless her intuitive spirit recognized the gifts 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 19 

that were even then unfolding, and which were 
called out but a short time afterward when she had 
passed onward to the eternal home. 

In the meantime a baby sister had come to me, — 
Josephine, — who seemed to comfort me for the loss 
I felt in giving up my grandmother, and whom I 
loved intensely. It seemed to me that I worshipped 
this little sister, and when she, too, was taken from 
me at the tender age of thirteen months, I felt as if 
nothing could ever seem beautiful again. My heart 
was broken. I could not play — all I seemed to think 
of was my little Josephine, — and then one night my 
grandmother and baby sister came to my bedside. 
I saw them clearly. I talked with them, and went 
to sleep comforted and happy. This was in 1875, 
and I was too young to question why or how this 
was so. I only knew that my dear ones were again 
with me. 

One night my mother happened to hear me talk- 
ing, and told me that I must not lie awake and talk, 
but must go to sleep. I told her I was talking with 
my grandmother and sister. Mother asked me if I 
could see them, and I said that I could. She 
watched me anxiously, and was much disturbed. In 
the meantime my little brother who had passed 
away before I was born came to me in the company 
of a spirit, a tall man, with a long, white beard. 
He was dressed in white garments, and looked un- 



20 THE DIVINE GIFT 

like any one I had ever seen. I remember that he 
held his hands over me and blessed me, and said, 
"My little man, you are born with a power that shall 
bring light and life to the world. I anoint you 
with God's blessing, and I will guide you throughout 
eternity." 

I was very happy with these visitors, but my 
mother became very much alarmed, and made me 
promise that I would turn on my side, and close my 
eyes when I went to bed. I did this, but I could 
still see the beautiful forms and faces of my dear 
ones. 

Mother wept and prayed over me, and became so 
unhappy that evidently the spirit visitors felt that it 
was unwise to continue their manifestations in this 
visible manner to me, and so their visits ended, and 
our life went on in its usual way. 

I well remember that when the spirit guide blessed 
me, I felt an indescribable power that has been an 
influence with me like a golden thread running 
through my life, no matter what the reverses or hard- 
ships were, there was always an influence of love 
and light and power that guided me onward, that 
grew stronger with the years, that unfolded from 
experience, and that is still with me the most trea- 
sured part of life. So the spirit manifestations that 
came to me in childhood ceased, and the years went 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 21 

on without any thought or any especial recall of 
those experiences. 

When I arrived at the age of twenty-four years I 
found it necessary to make a most important deci- 
sion. A question was before me, so serious that I 
was overwhelmed by its responsibility. I was in 
great doubt as to my own wisdom. I was young. 
I needed advice. I wanted to do right. I wanted 
to know what was right, — and I feared that if I 
confided the question to earthly friends their advice 
might be influenced by their love for me, and be 
tarnished by selfishness. 

I was alone, and greatly troubled. I felt inspired 
to look to the unseen for guidance, and I said, "If 
there are intelligent souls in the higher life, whether 
they be my people or strangers to me, I ask with 
love that they assist me now, — and I demand my 
right to decide this question, and to be led accord- 
ing to truth, whether it is for or against me. 
/ ask for truth!" 

I waited calmly. The answer came to my con- 
sciousness so clearly, so unmistakably, that I at once 
acted upon it, and the decision changed my whole 
life. 

I then felt that I wanted to know more about the 
higher life, and the loved ones there, and the laws 
of communication, for I realized within myself that 
there was something wonderful and beautiful in the 



22 THE DIVINE GIFT 

help I had received, and that to know more of this 
truth would be the most inspiring thing in the world. 

My mother and father were Baptists. We knew 
nothing of Spiritualism as a practice or a belief. 

It was my desire to investigate for myself, and not 
take the opinion of any one as to its truth. I could 
be convinced only by my own experience, and I was 
willing to give my life, if necessary, to know the 
truth. The possibility of spirit communion — if a 
truth — could be the most beautiful thing in the 
world. If it were a delusion I wanted nothing of it. 

I talked the matter over in our own home, for it 
seemed to me that was the place in which to make 
our investigations. We all were ready to study the 
subject further, and so we began our sittings, — my 
father and mother, four brothers, one sister and two 
aunts (one my father's sister, the other my mother's 
sister) made up our circle. 

We kept one room for this purpose, and met 
together twice each week, beginning our sitting at 
eight o'clock in the evening. This was by the direc- 
tion of the same spirit that came to my bedside when 
I was a little child and then blessed me and foretold 
a spiritual work for me — this spirit had again shown 
himself to me as a loving counsellor. 

Our first meeting was held in 1894. Our chairs 
were placed in a circle. Two draperies were hung 
across the corner of the room that the power might 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 23 

be better concentrated. I sat behind these draperies. 
The door was always kept locked during our meet- 
ing. We were a loving, harmonious family seeking 
to know the truth about spiritual manifestations. 
We always began our sitting with music — and our 
own harmonious relationship made the right con- 
ditions for spiritual results. We were happy in the 
thought that we were in the presence of our de- 
parted ones we loved so much, and we felt thank- 
ful to that Great Source of Infinite Power that 
He had led us to a way whereby we could obtain 
more knowledge. 

We continued these meetings for eight years, — 
and the memory of the love, the harmony, the 
peace, the uplift, the conscious communion with 
loved ones, the instructions of the higher souls, 
the visions of heavenly scenes, the wonderful un- 
folding of God's principles and the better under- 
standing of the power and purpose of life, the 
development that resulted through these sittings, 
are the most precious treasures of my life. 

Some of those experiences I shall place before 
you, that their truth may help other souls who 
are trying to find more light, and more truth. Our 
progress was gradual — as is the law of any unfold- 
ment. My experience during our first meeting was 
that of more consciousness of the peace and uplift 
and power that comes as a beautiful influence from 



24 THE DIVINE GIFT 

the spirit loved ones. Bright lights came and went 
before my eyes. These lights were small, and of 
different colors, blue and golden, and would remain 
for about twenty seconds, then pass away — then 
come again. This continued throughout the sitting. 
We all felt a happiness in this experience, and de- 
cided that we would meet together again. At the 
second meeting, after we had sung, I felt the arms 
of some spirit about me, and I lost consciousness to 
waken in the embrace of my beloved grandmother. 
I had not seen her since the experiences of child- 
hood — when I so dearly lover her. She had changed 
in looks, but I knew her, and was very happy in her 
presence. My little sister Josephine was with her, 
also the little brother who had passed over to spirit 
life before I was born. They had grown up in the 
years — just as we all do, whether in earth or in spirit 
life, but the love ties in the spirit consciousness of 
us all, makes known our dear ones to us, and we do 
not realize the things of time and space when we 
meet together in this love and heavenly harmony of 
souls. There were two other beautiful spirit souls 
that greeted me with such love as I had never ex- 
perienced before, so pure, so gentle, so celestial in 
expression. These two angel messengers brought 
many distant relatives to me, that I had never seen 
before, and I realized with delight what a wonderful 
home it was in this heavenly land. The atmosphere 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 25 

was indescribable, my stay seemed short, and I 
opened my eyes to the earthly scenes, exclaiming to 
the people in the circle, "Where are they, where are 
all the friends, where have they gone!" My father 
said, "No one else has been here — what do you 
mean?" Then I told him that I had been talking 
to grandmother and sister Josephine, and my 
brother Everett — and then I realized that I had been 
in spirit life, and it was there that I had talked with 
our loved ones. 

Our second meeting closed, and my people had 
many questions to ask about my experience. It 
gave us much to think about, and it can be readily 
understood that we were anxious to continue these 
sittings. The following eight years were full of 
beautiful spiritual experiences and phenomena. 

One evening while arranging the chairs for the 
circle I attempted to take one of them away as 
one member of the family was ill and could not 
be present with us, but a spirit power stopped me, 
and so this chair was left vacant. After we had 
sung, this chair moved out from the circle, with- 
out the aid of any earthly hands, and was placed 
in the center of the room. The spirit intelligences 
were asked to lift the chair — and the chair was 
raised by spirit power, suspended in the midst of 
the room, passed around it again to the center, then 
back to the place in the circle from which it was 



26 THE DIVINE GIFT 

taken. This was another evidence of spirit phe- 
nomena. 

A very wonderful experience came to me about 
five months later when an unusual spiritual power 
seemed to pervade our midst, and I felt as if 1 were 
passing upward out of my body and became a ra- 
diant center of golden light. I felt as if it had left 
my body, and yet I was held in the earthly atmos- 
phere, for I could see and hear all that was about me, 
and feel the guidance of the spirit friends as they 
accompanied me in the strange journey around the 
upper part of the room. 

"More slowly," they cautioned, "very steadily — 
move along with me," and so we seemed to float 
in the air, passing around the room. This took 
about ten minutes — then I felt my consciousness 
again unite with my physical form which had re- 
mained sitting apparently dead to the realization 
of life. My reasoning power, my sense of time, and 
distance and of seeing and hearing, all seemed to 
be concentrated in this form of golden light which 
separated itself from the material body, and yet was 
connected to it by its own life element, enabling 
me to be united with it again as usual. No doubt 
but this was the preparatory work for my going 
out still further in spirit life — an experience I have 
already narrated in the volume of The Philosophy 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 27 

of Natural Science (p. 35). I can but repeat briefly 
beautiful privilege that was then given to me, for it 
is all in accord with the natural principles of the 
universe of spirit as it interblends so wonderfully 
and so wisely with the material structures. 

The beauties and love powers of. the seventh 
sphere are unexplainable to mortal ear — but if you 
will listen with the soul faculties and open your 
inner self to the contemplation of sublime truths 
you will receive imperishable treasures into your 
life, and become aware that the heavenly is dis- 
tinguished by its spirit of universal service, and 
perfect love. 

The unseen guide asked me if there were any- 
thing in life I desired that this sphere did not con- 
tain, and when I began to think of the innumerable 
beauties by which divine wisdom expressed itself, 
my soul was filled to overflowing with love of Deity. 
Here was everything to make life one grand sym- 
phony. 

Every one I met radiated happiness, they all 
loved each other. There was no discord. All was 
harmony. It was a blending of lives in God's per- 
fect love. There was no malice nor wickedness. 



28 THE DIVINE GIFT 

The imperfections of the earthly expression could 
not enter there. 

My guardian angel who conducted me there was 
an ancient spirit, a teacher from one of the higher 
planes of life, and as we entered the seventh sphere 
two beautiful souls who stood by its portals smiled 
and greeted us, and said, "Enter in." They were 
clothed in white garments, and carried symbols of 
liberty in their hands. 

As we passed through the beautiful, white etherial 
mist that separated this sphere from all others, two 
brilliant lights appeared, one in front of my face, 
and one in front of my guides. This light which 
seemed about three feet away shone through the 
seventh sphere and lighted our way. 

When we were in this sphere I was conscious of 
a wonderful uplift of power, and as I drew near 
the celestial souls who lived upon this plane, I 
Breathed in a life force of a most refined nature. 
It was a drinking in of life, of love, of purity, — a 
perfume of loveliness and goodness — an atmosphere 
that was pervaded by every holy influence. 

The spirits appeared to be clothed in garments of 
etherial texture, which reflected the beauty and 
purity of their surroundings. 

Everything was symbolic of its own spiritual ascen- 
sion and progression, so exquisitely adapted to every 
loving thought that you would long to be with them 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 29 

always. It would make you understand that life is 
a thing of beauty, and of love, a love that never dies, 
but that grows higher, stronger, purer, which is a 
purity of heart, soul and purpose. It is the divine 
love of the angels you and I will grow to be some 
day in the distant ages, as we ascend from sphere 
to sphere. Let us work together to hasten that day, 
and to bring the kingdom of that thought, or heaven, 
to earth. 

The plants and flowers of that sphere were very 
beautiful, some of which were like those of earth, 
but many were of a type I have never seen in this 
expression. 

Some of these flowers of the seventh sphere seem 
to lift their heads and smile as they unfolded their 
faces of beauty and gave forth their breath of love 
and purity. Here the birds sang when invited to 
and their songs were strains of wonderful music. No 
other bird did I ever hear sing so beautifully. Their 
coloring was soft, delicate and harmonious. It was 
all one grand, united outpouring of life thoughts, 
rising from the Infinite, and flowing up in the hearts 
and souls of everything that had its dwelling place 
in this illumined sphere. 

As I looked about, I discovered at a distance the 
structure of a beautiful temple which was situated in 
the rays of a glowing light. It was the center of 



30 THE DIVINE GIFT 

wonderful power — attracting from the great spiritual 
sun, God Almighty. 

My inmost self was drawn toward this illuminated 
edifice which seemed as a fountain of light, and I re- 
quested my guide to go with me and visit this temple 
of life where the great Positive Mind, God, was at- 
tracting me. 

My guardian smiled and said, "My child, you can- 
not go there for if you did you would never return 
to earth." I answered him by saying that I did not 
want to return to the earth life. Again he smiled 
and said to me, "You must return, your work in 
earth is not done." I looked at him fair in the eyes 
and said, "How can you ask me to go back to the 
earth after bringing me to the seventh sphere where 
all is peace and bliss?" 

He placed his hand upon my head and said, "My 
child, do you want another to carry your burdens 
and to suffer your experiences? Would that be 
just?" And then my earthly selfishness fell from me 
and I saw the wiser plan of life. 

He said to me, "Go back to earth, take up the 
cross that awaits you, and when you are passing 
through the dark vales of life, you will never be alone 
for I will be near you to lead, guide and protect you, 
and to lead you from the entanglements of life into 
the broader fields of wisdom and truth. You shall 
be a leader of men, and when your work is done in 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 31 

the earthly life we will welcome you here with out- 
stretched arms." 

He then said, "Follow me!" and we passed back 
through the beautiful mist of life that separated that 
sphere from the earthly plane — and we returned to 
earth to fulfill this mission. . . . 

It is possible for the students of these immortal 
truths to progress and grow into such an unfold- 
ment of their own divine attributes, that under god- 
like conditions they can leave the material conditions 
and in spirit go from the physical body, and in com- 
pany with a master or teacher from the spiritual 
spheres visit the scenes of the future home, and 
communicate with the loving souls who now dwell 
there. 

Among the spirit visitors to us during one of our 
meetings was that of a man who appeared before me 
smiling pleasantly and greeting me as if glad to be 
with us. While there was something natural to me 
about his face, yet I was sure I had never seen him 
before, — then I recognized him from a picture that 
had come to us ten years previously as my Uncle 
John Bigelow, who had gone to New Zealand before 
I was born. 

I asked if this were not my Uncle John Bigelow, 
and he smiled and bowed — and then went away. 

My father was inclined to question the accuracy of 
this as the family had received no news of his passing 



32 THE DIVINE GIFT 

away — time and distance having made correspond- 
ence very irregular, then, too, we had moved from 
Nova Scotia to Boston, and my uncle's sons had lost 
our address — we learned this later when my father 
wrote one of the sons to ask him if his father had 
passed away. The reply came that the father had 
passed to the higher life three years before this — 
and so the truth and genuineness of this spirit mani- 
festation made a great impression upon our family 
circle. 

At another time the spirit of a man stood before 
me whom I had never seen. His visit was directed 
to my father so I described him. He carried a gun, 
and seemed very sorrowful and wept as he looked 
into my father's face. He gave me his name — and 
at this my father was spellbound. 

"Well, well!" he exclaimed, ''this is indeed won- 
derful. It is an old neighbor of mine who died be- 
fore you were born — it is the one that shot that 
beautiful dog of mine — and now he has come to 
tell me of his regret." 

The spirit begged me to ask my father's forgive- 
ness for his cruel act so long ago — and my father 
said : 

"Tell him I forgive him freely. It did grieve me 
to lose my dog — but I hold no unkind feeling now. 
Go onward, my friend, and find all that is bright 
and happy in the home yon are now in." 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 33 

I heard the spirit give a moan of relief, and say: 

'Thank God I have found the way to right this 
wrong," and he disappeared. 

This incident illustrates most clearly the uner- 
ring law of cause and effect — how the evil deed 
done here follows us wherever we go, and troubles 
our consciousness until we find the way to act with 
justice and with love toward those we have injured, 
and in turn receive their love and their forgiveness. 
The spiritual laws never change. 

During three of these years my two brothers had 
passed into spirit life. When the younger one went 
out from our home into the home above, I was ter- 
ribly grieved. It seemed to me as if my earthly ex- 
perience had brought more trouble and sorrow than 
I could 'bear, and I retired that night wishing either 
that I could have been taken in his place — or that I 
too would waken in the morning in the heavenly 
home. The moonlight was shining in my room, 
flooding it with its pale light and as I looked upward 
the face of my dear grandmother smiled into mine; 
this came drifting toward me until her cheek rested 
on mine in indescribable love and gentleness — and 
though no word was spoken the strength and tend- 
erness of her caress brought such comfort, such en- 
couragement, such a harmonizing outlook upon the 
trials and sorrows of this life, that I was filled with 
a renewed purpose to go on uncomplainingly, and to 



34 THE DIVINE GIFT 

live for the dear ones who were still in earth life and 
who were bearing the same sorrows that is the com- 
mon lot of all! 

Daring these years of trial and adjustment, the 
contrast between the spiritual conditions which were 
revealed to us at our sittings, and the unloving and 
unjust surroundings that are too great a part of the 
material world was depressing and dispiriting. It 
wore upon me, and I thought deeply upon the truths 
that were unfolding before me. These were the eter- 
nal verities. The earthly standards were but tem- 
porary creations and abstractions made by man — I 
wondered at their power over people — and I still 
wonder that they have so false a standard of value. 

At this time I was conscious of the protecting care 
of an Indian chief whom I would find outside the 
house waiting to accompany me as I went to my 
work. His presence signified physical strength and 
a sustaining power necessary while I was giving so 
much thought and time to these investigations be- 
sides attending to my customary business. 

One of my friends became very ill, and was not ex- 
pected to live. I went to call upon him and stayed 
by his bedside a few minutes. He feebly asked me 
to come again, so I went again in a few days. He 
told me that he had felt a little stronger and asked 
me to take his hand. I did so. He then rallied a 
little and wanted to talk with me. He knew 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 35 

that his case had been pronounced hopeless, and he 
himself could see no ray of light to encourage him, 
until I had come, and he had realized a certain 
strength since my visit. Then to my vision he seemed 
to be enveloped in a beautiful light that came from 
that spark of life and filled his soul with hope of 
getting well. This illumined his thoughts and per- 
meated his body and aided in casting off the con- 
gested conditions from which he was suffering. I 
was hastened away by his sister, who feared that a 
longer call would tire him, but he made me promise 
to visit him again in a few days, saying I had helped 
him more than the medicine of the physician or the 
prayers of his friends. 

I went to my home and thought this over. 1 
asked my spirit guardian to consult with me as to 
the possibility of healing this friend. The ancient 
spirit told me that I would not be permitted by my 
friend's family to do this. 

I asked this spirit to allow me to try that I might 
know the truth. He granted my request, and I 
went to my sick friend, who told me that he was 
better, and believed it was from some power that 
had come to him when I had visited him. This 
man had no knowledge of my recent spiritual expe- 
riences, and at this time I had not told him that I 
was trying to heal him — I simply explained to him 
some of the spiritual laws of life, and took both his 



36 THE DIVINE GIFT 

hands, and we were silent together. I was con- 
scious of a strong spiritual power, and clearly saw 
the ancient spirit guardian and another spirit stand- 
ing beside us. To my opened vision the walls of 
the room seemed to recede, and the beautiful faces 
of numberless spirits made an enclosure, which 
seemed to form the room we were in. They were 
there to witness the work. 

In a few minutes my friend spoke, and said he 
was rilled with strength — that he was not sick, and 
that he wanted to arise and dress. He called his 
sister and asked for his clothing — but she would 
not listen to any explanation and refused to help 
him as he had asked her. He declared if he could 
but get up he would promise never to be sick again 
and there is no doubt but that he would then have 
recovered if she had granted his request. 

It was as my guide had foreseen, and I had to go 
away, grieved at the unbelief, and the failure to be 
given the needed co-operation of the family. So my 
friend was kept in his bed, and the illness dragged 
on for a long time — but the power had held him to 
life here, and he did not pass over — but he did not 
regain his health, even after he was up and about. 
He was greatlv emaciated and seemed about to col- 
lapse again when he came to me and asked for 
spiritual treatments which I gladly gave him. This 
was a work for truth — and no payment was ever 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 37 

considered or made. In two months he had become 
strong and well, and had gained until he had reached 
his normal weight of two hundred and six pounds. 

Meantime our family circles continued. We 
were learning the great laws of life in the harmoniza- 
tion of spirit and matter. Through the protecting 
love of my guardian spirit I had been permitted to 
behold the higher spheres of spirit, and where I 
shall be privileged to enter again after I have ful- 
filled the mission of the first visit, and need the 
greater knowledge that can come only through such 
illumined avenues. Through the liberty and har- 
mony and love that dwell in spiritual laws, I was 
allowed to see the lower planes of spirit spheres that 
I might know for myself what was true, and what 
was merely theoretical or dogmatic in the teachings 
of the past. 

These experiences of spirit consciousness are in- 
describable. The preparations are according to 
spiritual necessity. I found myself surrounded by 
the power of perfect peace. It uplifted me by har- 
monious strains of music that breathed forth from 
the love that was in Nature. I felt within my physi- 
cal body the cessation of its usual strength, and I 
closed my eyes to open the spiritual vision, and 
found myself sustained by a strength more wonder- 
ful than anything that the physical body can realize. 

As I was wakening to the spiritual consciousness 



38 THE DIVINE GIFT 

I heard the strains of beautiful music, and I asked 
my spiritual guide and teacher what this music was, 
for I then knew that I had opened my eyes to the 
spiritual world. He smiled and said: "It is your 
own soul self singing in harmony with the spiritual 
harmony." 

Then I was awakened more fully to the perfect 
oneness in life. Angelic forms were near us and 
my guide made me acquainted with these friends, 
whose radiance lighted our way, the plane less il- 
lumined by the glory that comes only through the 
best development of the soul self. 

These beautiful companions greeted me with 
gentleness. They smiled their welcome, and with 
far-reaching looks, and with glowing eyes of glad- 
ness and an expression of love, life, and truth, they 
bowed to me in grace and tenderness. 

We then proceeded on our journey. We appar- 
ently drifted downward through an atmosphere 
which was dark and dense in comparison with the 
ethereal sphere of light in which I had awakened. 

We traveled through this walled space, which 
was illuminated and made clear by the radiance of 
the two angels who guided and led the way for my 
celestial teacher and myself. 

One of the angels of light looked and one smiled 
and said, "Do you fear?" 

My soul self was only lifted to a still more earnest 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 39 

desire for truth, and I was thrilled with courage 
and power. I answered, "I am willing to trust my 
life anywhere in the protecting, loving care of such 
guides. I am willing to take every risk — if you call 
it risk — to know the truth." 

They gently passed on, and we drew near to the 
suffering souls who were then living in the memory 
and regret of their wasted earthly life. The two 
angels halted on the way, and were so enveloped in 
the glory of their own light that they were not vis- 
ible to me, yet they illumined the world around 
and below them. 

My guide was standing beside me, and said : 

"Now you can look." 

The atmosphere grew clearer, the density that 
depressed our consciousness disappeared and we 
breathed easily and saw distinctly that which was 
about us. The conditions are saddening to remem- 
ber. My heart was overwhelmed by pity for the 
unfortunate beings who must begin their spiritual 
experience in such weakness and unhapiness. Even 
their bodies lacked the development and noble pro- 
portion that conies through character and goodness. 
They seemed dwarfed and crippled by their mis- 
deeds and unlovely lives. Their faces seemed 
pinched and full of misery. At first I could not look 
upon such misfortune ; they did not seem like living 
men. 



40 THE DIVINE GIFT 

I questioned my guide, and he said: 

"They are living souls. They are what they 
made themselves, by their acts while in the earthly 
life." 

I was deeply impressed by this revelation. I saw 
as never before how the deeds, how the motives, 
how the ignorance, how the unwise affections form 
life and deform the soul of man. I then knew that 
when the body was wholly put aside, and the spirit 
stepped into the boundless realms of the infinite, it 
went free of all pretense, free of all restriction, and 
stood forth in just the semblance that the life here 
had been fashioning it. 

I was filled with a desire to give to the earth 
world God's unchangeable truth. My spiritual self 
was expanded by larger and nobler purposes. My 
heart was filled with thanksgiving that I had been 
privileged to see with my own consciousness the 
truth of cause and effect, of the perfect adaptation 
of spirit to its own sphere, and of the blessed provi- 
sion the deific principle prepares for the unfolding 
of the darkened mind and the unprogressed soul. 
The truth of God is made manifest every day — even 
hour, throughout eternity. It is the same revelation 
that we grow according to our use of life, and we 
gravitate to our own sphere wherever that may be — 
even in this life — or in the home eternal in the 
heavens. I was filled with a great desire and love 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 41 

to be an instrument by which this truth could be 
given to mankind. 

The illumination from the two angels grew softer 
and smaller, and the darkness around the unhappy 
souls of that sphere grew dense again. They are 
engulfed in their own darkness, and will be in this 
shadow until their spiritual consciousness calls for 
enlightenment and strength, that they may respond 
to the never dying personality within that, according 
to its own spirit life will gradually see with its own 
spiritual eyes, and hear with its own spiritual ears, 
and feel with its own intuitive knowledge, the jus- 
tice that unerringly gives according to the capacity 
to receive light and life and power and wisdom. 

It is a sorrowful thing to see this spark of life so 
nearly extinguished by dark deeds. It is a sadden- 
ing thing to realize that the purity of the spirit 
must be so environed by unspeakably base condi- 
tions while in the earthly life, and the soul affections 
given to foul and unworthy desires, that the men- 
tality cannot grow and develop in the likeness of 
wisdom, but must remain ignorant, uncultured and 
depraved. The awfulness of the suffering in this 
present sphere, and the unpreparedness of that soul 
for anything like the higher planes of life is most 
sorrowful — but the great lessons of life must be 
learned by every experience, and the true under- 
standing of the laws of spirit in Nature will teach 



42 THE DIVINE GIFT 

the world how to direct the growth of the soul. We 
are not to judge who are victims of their own un- 
worthiness, or of their own responsibility, or of their 
destiny. We are to help make a better environ- 
ment here, that each individual may be born into 
purer conditions, and unfold here the soul develop- 
ment that shall have entrance into the higher con- 
ditions in the next sphere. 

Natural Science will save souls from the deform- 
ing influence of physical ignorance and spiritual 
limitations, and open the understanding to the laws 
of justice and progression, which are God's perfect 
expressions. Then shall the face be turned toward 
the great soul center, and be illumined by the rays 
of celestial principles as they shine through every 
expression, whether in this sphere or in the darker 
places of the soul life. The growth is gradual there, 
even as it is here. 

The unhappy ones are aided by the angels of 
light, and by the master teachers of the higher 
planes. Through the avenues of eternal progres- 
sion they will make their way — even as we ascended 
upward and left the vales of shadows. 

The angels accompanied my guide and myself to 
the earth. We found ourselves free from the dark- 
ness, and stood upon a plane of safety. This ex- 
perience wrote itself in a language upon my heart 
never to be forgotten, never to be outlined. The 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 43 

memory will always serve to stimulate me to more 
earnest endeavor to present truth and the helpful- 
ness of truth to the world. It is not given to many 
to visit these spheres, not even those from the 
higher planes go there unless upon some special er- 
rand of mercy or of illumination, and upon leaving 
me my guide blessed me and said : 

"This has been granted to you that you could 
better understand the gradations of spirit and the 
result of the lives that are misspent. You will 
live not for earthly things, nor the fleeting pleas- 
ures of a temporary existence, but to ever develop 
the spiritual life that you may become a teacher 
and illuminate the ever-living soul that is in all 
humanity that they may learn more of the great laws 
of life that are expressed through the wisdom and 
love of Deity. Your life and light will shine down 
through the ages. I will always be near you." 

The angels of light smiled and blessed me. I 
was filled with unspeakable language that ex- 
pressed only in the silence of the soul. 

They drew near to my physical body, and my 
spiritual self united with its earthly temple to fulfill 
my mission in earth life and to respond to the 
teachings of those great souls. 

At the last of my sittings I had desired to know 
more about the phenomena of materialization, and 
I asked the guardian spirits who were my teachers 



44 THE DIVINE GIFT 

in this realm of spiritual investigation and educa- 
tion if I might be permitted to see this and judge 
for myself the possibility and the advisability of 
such demonstrations of power. 

During our sittings we had often seen ethereal 
forms pass to and fro, but they were not tangible. 
Now the time had come for a further experience. 

After sitting a few evenings the form of a young 
woman materialized, smiled to us — de-materialized, 
then materialized again, then became smaller, and 
finally appeared in the ethereal form and drifted 
upward to the ceiling, then downward to the floor 
and disappeared. In a few moments one of my 
younger brothers who had passed away since our 
circle was formed came in our midst as a material- 
ized spiritual being, and stood before us. It was a 
wonderful, indescribable thing to look upon, and 
feel such a tangible reality in our presence of one 
who had been so familiarly and so dearly beloved 
in our family life, and then who had vanished from 
our material surroundings by this great event we 
misname death. 

I grasped his arm and said: 

"Henry, is this you?" 

He spoke plainly so that all in the room heard 
him answer: 

"Yetf 

His face was as natural to us as when he was in 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 45 

the earth life, and he expressed his love for us, his 
protecting care, and his tender interest in all our 
experiences. The occasion was one that we all 
cherished with great thankfulness. 

I thank God for the wonderful privileges that his 
principles give us. Our dear ones were all wel- 
come visitors to us. In this life we are spirit em- 
bodied — in that life they are spirit dis-embodied. 
It is only because of the general misunderstanding 
that has arisen through man's ignorance of spirit- 
ual law that the possibility of communion and com- 
munication has been denied. And, furthermore, 
the living in the present only, the recognition of 
only the visible effects, the ignorance of cause, the 
indifference to future existence as developed by the 
way life is used here — the dependence of the masses 
upon a traditional irrational religion, has been the 
easier way to slip along on the surface of appear- 
ance and has allowed humanity to live selfishly and 
cruelly. Spirituality teaches justice in every act of 
life. It allows no happiness in the disregard of the 
rights of others. It gives no peace to the ungener- 
ous and the unloving. It teaches you that as you 
live here — so do you waken tomorrow upon your 
entrance to the higher spheres. If arbitrary and in- 
tolerant here — so are you dwarfed in the immortal 
attributes. If you have opposed the revelations of 
the Infinite spirit and in your ignorance kept others 



46 THE DIVINE GIFT 

from the enlightenment of truth then will you still 
be slow to see and comprehend the beautiful laws of 
life. In just that degree that you have hindered the 
progressive development of yourself and your 
friends, in just that degree are you miserable, and 
your progress will be retarded. 

It is a natural and a beautiful privilege that we all 
have as a part of our own life and individuality to 
recognize and to commune with our departed loved 
ones, and to receive help and instruction from the 
higher minds of the higher spheres. 

We need to work out our own spirituality 
through these natural avenues, and be harmonious 
in our physical, mental and spiritual development 
that they may work together, well poised, for the 
unfoldment of larger spiritual consciousness. This 
lifts the soul from materialism and the limited views 
of life. This enables the individual to view all sides 
of life and to understand the principles that have 
hitherto been more or less obscure. 

In this way the physical and the spiritual inter- 
blend until through chemical changes the grosser 
matter of the spiritual body becomes refined, the 
mind is illumined by spirit wisdom, and the vision 
is opened to the beholding of the spiritual realities, 
and in this awakening you realize the power that is 
in all life. 

Very few people have reached this knowledge-^- 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 47 

probably not one quarter of the world's population 
have advanced into the appreciation of the truth that 
nature reveals. 

The people of spiritual experiences, of vision, of 
seer-ship, of illumination, of understanding of the 
spiritual causation, of principles and effects have 
always existed in all ages and in all climes. That 
which is remote is often that which receives the most 
consideration; that which is near and on every hand 
is that which is criticised, denied, ridiculed, and mis- 
understood! And yet it is these very manifestations 
— it is these very truths that open the avenue to our 
knowledge of spiritual conditions and the continuity 
of life. The demonstrations that give us reason to 
believe in the presence of our loved ones — lost awhile 
— is the most precious thing in human experience. 

And whence the criticism! Why the unfairness! 
Does this not emanate from minds limited by the 
material conditions and experiences — no matter how- 
great is the scholarship if it is buried in tradition or 
myth, or encrusted by materialism that has no in- 
sight further than what the senses observe, and no 
awakening of the higher faculties to the omnipotent 
revelations of the whole of life as it expresses itself 
universally in all of Nature. What is man that he 
should judge of the Infinite, and limit the principles 
and powers of that which is limitless! Why should 
any individual assert a right to contradict the con- 



48 THE DIVINE GIFT 

sciousness of truth that comes to another through 
experience different from their own. 

If there are many who live in the one-sided expres- 
sions of the earthly life, why should they decry the 
larger powers and assertions made by the few? 
Should not justice and fairmindedness prevail be- 
tween both classes? 

If the lives of many are so artificial, so ignorant, 
so unthinking that they do not behold the spiritual 
laws that unfold in Nature and that control life, why 
should they deny that such laws exist? The spiritual 
man is shaping his life to better conform with Deific 
law. He is seeing Nature with spiritual eyes, and 
he is hearing the truth with spiritual ears; he is 
sensing the harmony of all manifestations with his 
spiritual faculties — he is not waiting until the change 
called death shall open his consciousness to divine 
understanding, but he is viewing the beautiful devel- 
opments of life while he is in the earthly experience. 

The limitations of mortals upon this little planet 
earth cannot check progress or influence the great 
divine principles of evolution. The spiritual un- 
foldment will go on as surely as the seas ebb and 
flow. The laws of Nature are revealing themselves 
and opening the consciousness of men to truth. 
This truth is already blooming in the hearts of man- 
kind and unfolding souls with a knowledge of the 
beauty that is spread over the earth illumining life 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 49 

with a radiance unseen before. In this way mankind 
is being lifted from ignorance and selfishness into 
kindness and charity. The love of Deity is ever 
flowing into the earthly channels even as the sunlight 
warms and gladdens and vivifies this material exist- 
ence, and brings forth the perfume enclosed in the 
heart of the flower. 

The spiritual faculties of seeing, hearing, sensing 
all things are the faculties that are immortal and that 
we take with us when we enter the spiritual spheres. 

We are here to develop these, and it is inconsistent 
and limited to deny the existence of the larger things 
of life. It is as absurd to attempt to shut out the 
spiritual possibilities as for man to draw a chalk line 
around himself and refuse to see anything beyond 
that boundary; such narrow confines make their 
view pitifully restricted. 

Let us enter into the uses and misuses of the spir- 
itual gifts. Let us be kind, honest, and just to all 
conditions as we find them. 

The same laws control all spiritual gifts that con- 
trol all expression in life. The visible and the in- 
visible are one reality differing only in the condition 
and refinement. It is all Spirit in Nature. The 
laws of Nature are the laws of life. Life is the un- 
foldment of spiritual laws. This teaches us that we 
can obtain such knowledge of these principles that 
we can add to our own enlargement of vision and 



50 THE DIVINE GIFT 

character, or we can remain indifferent or wilfully 
ignorant of the divinity in us all, and so become 
dense and dwarfed in the true development. Thus 
we have the privilege of constructing our lives — and 
we also have the same liberty of misusing our divine 
attributes and in a sense live in the destructive qual- 
ities of material existence. 

Deity's laws are such that we can build through 
the natural avenues of life, through the interblending 
of spirit and matter, through the communion with 
spiritual teachers, through association with the mas- 
ter minds of the higher spheres, and so uplift our 
own selves and upbuild all humanity. Or we can by 
the same law of cause and effect gravitate to the 
lower planes of life and find association among the 
grosser expressions and live there until truth calls 
us from our misdeeds, and wakens us to the meaning 
of life. In this process of individualization you must 
sooner or later realize what is the truth. God has 
given you his beautiful laws that will give you health, 
happiness and justice if you choose to live in har- 
mony with them. Mankind is given its liberty of its 
own responsibility. God's justice must be recog- 
nized, his laws fulfilled, and the individual possi- 
bilities and gifts used righteously in order to make 
true progress. 

The "gifts" which seem to be of a higher spiritual- 
ity than the usual development have been recognized 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 51 

throughout the history of every nation and respected 
by the thoughtful writers. Persia, Egypt, Chaldea, 
India, China and Japan had their seers and prophets 
— and in later days Grecian and Roman civilization 
records the regard that the heroes gave to the utter- 
ances of the sacred priestesses and sibyls. In the 
European countries such gifts have always been in 
evidence — while the book that is the familiar author- 
ity of a large part of the world today makes direct 
statements regarding the variety of these gifts. A 
most familiar passage is that from I Corinthians, 
1 2th chapter, 8th verse: 

"For to one is given by the spirit the word of wis- 
dom, to another the word of knowledge, by the same 
spirit to another the gifts of healing, to another the 
working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another 
the discerning of spirits." 

I Corinthians, 13th chapter, 1st verse: 

"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of 
angels and have not charity I am become as sound- 
ing brass and a tinkling cymbal." 

Let us learn of these beautiful gifts through nat- 
ural law, let us be charitable, let us gather more 
knowledge of the gifts God expresses through his 
children. 

Too often it has happened that the sincere expo- 
nents of spiritual truths have been passed by and the 
superficial investigator has not chosen wisely when 



52 THE DIVINE GIFT 

he has attended either public or private demonstra- 
tion of the possibility of spirit communication. The 
world is full of imposters, of charletans. What is 
true in one phase of life is true in all others. No pro- 
fession, no business association, no religious associa- 
tion, no government is free from pretenders. This 
is an undeveloped part of human nature, and we 
should be universal enough to recognize this fact 
when we are dealing philosophically with any ques- 
tion or any relationship of life. The spiritualist me- 
dium should not be the only one to suffer the preju- 
dice of people simply because that gift has been sim- 
ulated, and dishonest men and women have taken 
advantage of the over-credulous or the ignorant or 
the selfish seeker after a sort of knowledge that is 
not uplifting nor beneficial, and through tricks and 
some phases of psychic power have played upon hu- 
manity disastrously. They advertise in such a man- 
ner through the secular press, they promise to do 
marvels, that the victim of these sad disappointments 
revenge themselves upon all mediums by their lack 
of discrimination and by their ill-judged conclusions. 
On the other hand honest, scientific and careful 
investigations have been systematically made that all 
phases of the unusual gifts or demonstrations might 
be better understood. Mediumship in its different 
manifestations, spiritual phenomena and materializa- 
tion, magnetism, clairvoyance and the various 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 53 

psychic powers have attracted the attention of the 
public. 

Whatever the conclusion is, whatever the decision 
arrived at by any one or number of the investigators, 
it must always be remembered that the individual 
judges only according to his individual capacity and 
enlightenment, so the value of his opinion is entirely 
in proportion to his knowledge of universal truth. 

He may be a man of great or unusual scientific at- 
tainments, yet he may be able to see only external 
manifestation and reason wholly from exterior con- 
ditions and have no exact understanding of the in- 
terior cause which produces the various phases of so- 
called mediumship or of clairvoyance. Just here let 
me define mediumship as an instrumentality through 
which spiritual beings communicate or impress con- 
sciously or unconsciously ; which results in some form 
of spiritual phenomena — mental or physical — while 
clairvoyance is literally clear-seeing, and is wholly 
constitutional with the individual so gifted and has 
nothing to do with outside spirit aid. 

The different phases of mediumship have already 
been analysed and defined, as has been the psychic 
qualities that are a part of the individual expression. 
The manifestation of these powers is as old as hu- 
manity itself for it is a part of humanity's life, and 
does not, and has not, and never will depend upon 
the denials or the affirmation of the investigator. 



54 THE DIVINE GIFT 

Thank God the truth of spiritual law has been beauti- 
fully evident to many a noble soul, not only to the 
suffering ones whose hearts have been comforted by 
loving message, but some of the world's most famous 
poets, artists, philosophers and men of science have 
been outspoken in their endeavor to enlighten the 
world as to the importance of this truth. 

Human experience has its similarities — its points 
of convergence, and spiritual experience comes to an 
individual in just the manner that is most natural to 
his temperament and constitution. Many of these 
experiences are private and personal, but none the 
less convincing — many of them are of public demon- 
stration, where they meet the belief or the prejudice 
of people just as it may happen. But surely the opin- 
ion of such a thinker as William James, late Professor 
of Philosophy at Harvard University, is worthy of 
respect. To this we could add a long list of names 
of the thinkers of all nations — perhaps those of Al- 
fred Russell Wallace, the eminent English scientist, 
William Crookes, so well known by his discoveries 
in electricity and inventions, and just now Sir Oliver 
Lodge, who has addressed the British Association of 
Scientists and called their attention to the spiritual 
considerations as the most important question before 
them. These men have investigated these demon- 
strations through reputable media. 

Spiritual gifts are as true today as in the days of 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 55 

Jesus or any other spiritually organized soul. There 
are prophets, seers, and sages. Transfiguration is as 
true today as it was when Peter, John and James 
went into the mount with Jesus and witnessed his 
transfiguration. 

Materialization is as true today as it was when 
Jesus materialized and asked the doubtful Thomas to 
feel of the wounds in his side that he might be con- 
vinced of the truth of his personal reality. The same 
laws of life exist today as they did two thousand 
years ago, — only we should be doing greater things 
— even as Jesus foretold. He tried to show that the 
laws of Nature were the laws of life, and that these 
were the laws by which he worked, and he foresaw 
that time and progress would develop greater things 
for the coming generations. Through wrong inter- 
pretation of these laws man has ignored the more 
spiritual revealments. 

The world has progressed in the knowledge and 
uses of material conditions, and has obtained much 
exact knowledge of material structures, formation 
and the so-called "kingdoms of the world" — it has de- 
veloped the land, built generously, invented usefully, 
and is constantly making important discoveries and 
progressing in a most interesting manner so far as 
external life is concerned, but even though the world 
is taking more notice of humanity in all its aspects 
and working earnestly for a human progress, the 



56 THE DIVINE GIFT 

most beautiful, life-giving, fruitful law underneath all 
conditions has been lost sight of — the spiritual law 
that governs the illumination of the individual and 
that is destined to refine, uplift, and educate the 
whole of mankind. 

The lack of this knowledge has limited man's pro- 
gressive development. Here and there has the light 
of the spirit shone unmistakably. Emanuel Sweden- 
borg, the Swedish philosopher and scientist, is a well 
known example of spirit illumination, and our own 
Andrew Jackson Davis is, without doubt, the great- 
est soul that has ever developed in any age. His 
mind was opened to receive wisdom from the master 
minds of the higher spheres, and his own spirit easily 
entered into the knowledge of the principles of spirit, 
and he grew in wisdom and gave to the world the 
completest exposition of the truth that has ever been 
written. His life itself is an inspiration of love and 
wisdom, — and his writings are destined to yet awaken 
the minds of the people to a larger knowledge, a 
fuller understanding of divine life throughout the uni- 
verse, and quicken the spirit of humanity into nobler 
living that is the purpose of the earthly experience. 

These are God given gifts through the natural de- 
velopment of the spiritual principle, and I plead most 
earnestly that all those more especially endowed may 
use these gifts for the highest purposes, that the 
darkness and destruction that comes of misuse may 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 57 

pass away, and this work of the spirit may lift all 
people to a higher plane of thinking and realizing and 
living, when they may more consciously unite with 
God and the angels for the upbuilding of truth 
through God's divine principles that flow into this 
sphere by the interblending of spirit through com- 
munication. 

There will be no dark valley even as Dwight M. 
Moody declared as he was passing to spirit life. Some 
writers who have not understood the spiritual laws 
of communication have been of the opinion that such 
interblending of lives is injurious to media. In reply 
to this, I must again call your attention to the laws of 
Deity as they flow through every avenue of nature — 
and I must again repeat my statement that people 
are very limited in their understanding and use of 
these principles — they observe "experience" and re- 
port it from their own point of view instead of from 
a more universal recognition of the spirit power and 
life that harmonizes with matter for eternal unfold- 
ment and progress. 

Manifestation of spirit through individuals differs 
just as individuals differ in temperament, character, 
and wisdom. This is true in both spheres of life — 
only whatever is in spirit life is more refined than 
when it was in the material body — yet that same 
spirit has gone into the higher sphere with the real 
qualities that characterized the individual when on 



58 THE DIVINE GIFT 

the earthly plane, and if the life of the medium is of 
such a nature that the less developed and less wise 
spirits are attracted into that life, the demonstrations 
and the communication cannot be of so wise, or re- 
fined, or uplifting, or so true a nature as that which 
results from different living in both cases. 

But the laws of spirit are such that no real injury 
can ever come by contact with the spirit spheres. The 
medium may be injured by his or her own lack of 
wisdom in the use or misuse of these powers within 
themselves — just as any individual may injure his 
own life by misusing the perfectly good and benefi- 
cent properties that are a part of the material condi- 
tions here. It is greatly to be desired that the so- 
called spiritual worker should become more truly 
spiritual and enlightened and it is just as desirable 
that the materialist should become more illumined as 
to the great universal principles and more just as a 
result of greater wisdom. 

Any medium, or any person who lives in harmony 
with eternal law must unfold to nobler proportions of 
character, and attract the nobler influences from the 
higher spheres. These spiritual minds are superior 
to anything in earth, more intelligent, more loving, 
more refined, more powerful. Their most earnest 
desire is expressed for the upbuilding of humanity. 
These high souls have lived through the earthly ex- 
perience and have been in spirit life so long that they 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 59 

have grown away from the imperfections and 
densities of this sphere. Their lives are cleansed 
from all that is gross in thought or deed or affection, 
they have risen above the limitations of materialistic 
ignorance, they have become wise in the use of the 
great Deific principles and they bring into our at- 
mosphere the glory and beauty of celestial under- 
standing. They are living in a higher unfoldment of 
God's laws — the same laws that give life in every 
condition, the same principles that permeate every 
expression, only advanced, refined, unfolded — and 
they have become as God in the spontaneous expres- 
sion of the infinite and immortal attributes of soul. 
They are radiant with light, life, and truth which is 
the building foundation of all life. They radiate 
these qualities wherever they go, and to come in 
touch with such souls is a privilege of the highest 
order. It means light, and life, and truth to your 
souls, as you receive their radiations and their 
thought — even as it did to come in touch with Jesus 
when he was upon the earth. The relationship of 
such spirit helpers to the earthly mediums has none 
of the qualities of hypnosis. It is not a case of one 
mind dominating another, or of a gross power filling 
an individual with soul paralysis and outside sug- 
gestion. 

Whatever the use or the purpose of hypnotism 
as it is now experimented with in this earthly plane, 



60 THE DIVINE GIFT 

whether for scientific information regarding the 
hidden, psychic power, whether for suggestive help 
to the deficient, the weak, or the criminal, whether 
for evil purposes of mastery of one mind over an- 
other, it must always partake of the limitations of 
the understanding of the one who uses it, and it 
must be a questionable operation of the benefit of 
an active mind over one that is passive. 

The real object of spiritual influx of life is to 
awaken the soul, arouse the mind, inspire the whole 
life of the individual with the better knowledge of 
his immortal attributes and the purpose of life. It 
is not partial in its exercise — it is not limited in its 
environment or its understanding. It is the breath- 
ing in of the life elements, it is the quickening 
power of the whole life, it is spiritual in its principle 
and in its purpose, and it is not to be confounded 
with the materialistic phenomena of the unex- 
panded soul in this sphere, forcing its own will into 
the will of another by rendering the physical func- 
tions inactive. 

The spiritual power of the arisen souls acts upon 
the physical form of the medium by quieting the 
outer senses and wakening the interior sensibilities 
— or by thus gathering the life forces from external 
sensation that the soul and spirit may be more alive 
and thus more easily express itself, in whatever way 
is most natural to the medium that is receiving the 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 61 

inspiration from the higher mind. This liberates 
the spiritual faculties of the media whereby they 
must be inspired to a greater realization of truth 
and unfold their own character more in the likeness 
of their heavenly associates. 

The spiritual helper never depresses the mind or 
body of the earthly companion, but, as a magnet, 
lifts him to a higher conception of spiritual values, 
where he may see for himself the radiant heights of 
individual possibilities, quicken his intellect that it 
may respond more readily to the higher attune- 
ment and interblend in a more beautiful unity of 
purpose with the spiritual, and be more awakened 
to the light, love and life of the wisdom of God, and 
in this power be made more positive with the Great 
Positive Mind. This is the communion of the 
spheres, this is the communication of disembodied 
spirits with the embodied spirits, this is the inter- 
blending of the principles of life for the upbuilding 
and unfoldment of all God's children in the Universe 
of Life! This must make clear the fact that the 
exercise of mediumship is of itself an uplifting, up- 
building means of unfolding the spiritual power, 
and of adding to physical strength and is of itself 
not to be confused with the results that come to 
both mind and body from hypnotic association in 
this sphere with the will force that is imperfect and 
unwise in its manifestation. 



62 THE DIVINE GIFT 

There is discrimination to be used in the exercise 
of any gift. There are physical conditions to re- 
gard. Excess in any direction has its penalties. 
Balance and proportion should be the aim of every 
individual whatever his interest or employment. 
But the medium cannot be injured by association 
with the spiritual guardians. They may be injured 
while in that sensitive, passive condition to this 
material sphere by coming in contact with the un- 
pleasant, inharmonious, destructive, disturbing at- 
mosphere of the people who come to them for help 
in their questionings and their perplexities. Man 
makes his own entanglements, consciously or un- 
consciously, as he lives in violation of God's laws. 
Then, as often happens when he finds himself sinking 
from the weight of the heaviness of his own condi- 
tions, he goes to a medium for help — and the spirit- 
ual gift is used to give advice, or comfort, or sus- 
taining power to the soul in trouble. The selfish- 
ness, the falsity of such people is a shock to the in- 
terior sensibilities, and has its impairing effect on 
the physical strength — and then the world in its 
ignorance blames the spiritual influences for that 
which ignorance and selfishness is alone accountable 
for. These congestions, and dross, these dis- 
turbances are not in harmony with God's beautiful 
expressions in the higher unfoldment, where wis- 
dom and truth and love and power characterize the 






OF MEDIUMSHIP 63 

lives of the arisen souls. These higher beings live 
in oneness with the Father, and are a fountain of 
light and life to all who come in contact with them; 
they permeate the medium with these life-building 
elements. An experience of my own will illustrate 
the truth of this statement. 

I remember one occasion especially some years 
ago, when I had been suffering from a severe cold 
and was greatly prostrated by fatigue from over- 
work, and then took an additional cold which made 
me feel very ill and exhausted so that when the 
Sunday morning arrived, on which day I was en- 
gaged to speak at Fall River, Mass., I was hardly 
able to leave my bed and was in danger of fainting 
at any minute. I thought the matter over. I had no 
time to get any one else to speak for that society, 
so I managed to make the trip, and in a half dazed 
condition found myself upon the platform ready to 
speak. Then I saw a spirit of great power and 
beauty who stood beside me, who said: "I will take 
charge of this meeting through your organism," 
and I gladly welcomed this help. At the close of 
the meeting, as the spirit influence left me, and my 
own consciousness to outward events returned, I 
found myself strong and well. I had no illness, no 
weariness. I was uplifted and filled with strength 
and I remained well — which shows that it was not a 
sudden enthusiasm or powerful emotion of my own 



64 THE DIVINE GIFT 

that would buoy me up temporarily, but proves that 
our bodies can be greatly assisted by the wisdom 
and strength that spiritual beings can radiate by 
their presence and power. This is a revelation of 
God's perfect life as it expresses itself in progressed 
souls who live in light and love and wisdom. 

Who can know these principles but those whose 
lives have blended with those lives of the great 
sphere of spirit? Surely these are not truths to 
those who sit in the seats of the scornful and criti- 
cise all manifestations that are not natural to them- 
selves. 

There have always been prophets and false 
prophets, the immature, the ignorant and the un- 
wise, and there are those who give their lives to 
find the truth. This cannot be otherwise, for this is 
the first sphere, the first expression of life where we 
are individualized for our immortal journey, and it is 
here that we naturally find imperfect conditions that 
result from immaturity and inexperience. But, 
thanks be to God, the great soul magnets of the higher 
spheres are turning their faces toward the light, and 
they are ready to give that light to the people of 
earth, that the beautiful radiations of wisdom and 
power may be received into the organisms of the 
earthly beings. 

There is nothing more human or more natural 
than to receive the thoughts of your departed dear 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 65 

ones, and it is a beautiful thing to be conscious of 
their messages of love. The man or woman of cold 
intelligence who would place psychical laws upon a 
man-made system to please a class of people who 
consider themselves able to judge of these higher 
unfoldments simply because they may have more 
experience in materialistic observation makes a 
grave mistake in this attempt to popularize a spirit- 
ual principle that it may adorn a fashionable plat- 
form. The spirit of God is not limited. It descends 
upon the poor and the unlettered, it enters the 
hearts of the sorrowful, it is a universal quality that 
depends not upon riches, nor honor, nor scholar- 
ship, nor titles, nor university degrees. It speaks to 
the humble, it seeks admission to the great. It is 
ready to illumine every soul. It has the bread of 
life in its outstretched hand. It has the illumina- 
tion of wisdom in its expressive glance. It has com- 
fort in its loving heart, it has unfoldment and har- 
mony in its inspiring wisdom. 

It has not readily gained admission into the in- 
tellects that have not opened themselves to the 
large and universal consideration of all truth, it 
has hardly been accorded courteous attention by 
the dogmatism of religious minds already domi- 
nated by a system, it has been dismissed by the 
proud as undesirable in its equalizing qualities, and 
it has been rejected unheard by the selfish from 



66 THE DIVINE GIFT 

whom too much of their liberty was demanded that 
they might give more liberty to others. 

Pure spirit makes its own likeness in the lives of 
all spirit, and though it shine with its wonderful ra- 
diance as clearly in this sphere of matter as in its 
own home of light, yet it nourishes, sustains and 
gives life to us all. It manifests itself in absolute 
conformity to the individual temperament and un- 
foldment, as indeed do all the other gifts and privi- 
leges of this life, and the use each individual makes 
of his or her especial gift is wholly in proportion to 
the wisdom of the individual. But to criticise un- 
fairly — to condemn unjustly, to be blind to the uni- 
versal as well as the special aspects of truth is lim- 
ited, while to arbitrarily assume authority over the 
way truth manifests itself, and to sweep aside the 
avenues by which the light has come — simply because 
the channels have not been as clear, or as well placed 
as might be agreeable to some other individuality is 
unjust indeed. 

Would this be the Christ principle? Must not 
God's love and light shine in its own way, untar- 
nished by worldly selfishness and pride? Would it 
not be better to go among the poor, the uneducated, 
the unwise, the lowly even as Jesus did and help 
them by our love, our patience, our. charity, by our 
own inspiration and wisdom, that they may better 
use the gifts of life, and that we in return may re- 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 67 

ceive greater truths through the harmony and un- 
foldment of all souls. 

Centuries ago an immortal caution was spoken to 
individual injustice, and Jesus befriended the outcast 
until one without sin should cast the first stone. This 
charity is as worthy emulation today — for over each 
of us are always wiser souls who see our individual 
imperfection, and would strive to help us to unfold 
beauty of character. This should give us a very 
humble spirit when we attempt to set others right 
according to our own imperfect standard. 

Our own inequalities are very apparent to critical 
beholders, and each individual whatever the attain- 
ment, or the scholarship, or the worldly success or 
the administrative power, or the spiritual "gift" is 
always overshadowed by something higher, and by 
greater wisdom in some other direction which could 
very easily offer criticism if it were so minded to 
those less expert and less cultured. So it is not be- 
coming in any individual to assert superiority, be- 
cause the superiority here in any walk of life is very 
imperfect and very unequal when viewed by a wisdom 
that looks into the whole life and unfoldment. 

The aim should be for a steady upbuilding first of 
self — that equalization which must come of body, of 
mind, of soul, and must be permeated by love and by 
wisdom; then that life will send out its radiations 
into the lives of others, and humanity will gradually 



68 THE DIVINE GIFT 

respond to the spirit of love that seeks to uplift the 
whole race, that would liberate every soul from the 
thraldom of injustice, of inequality, of ignorance, of 
suffering, of a misuse of its splendid gifts, of the 
sway of materialism, it would touch the intellect and 
show that true enlightenment which comes through a 
love of truth, it would unfold a greater charity in the 
hearts, it would inspire the individual to become 
poised, healthy in body, firm in mind, powerful in 
spirit, it would give to every person that courage 
which knows that there is every possibility to so build 
life here that its foundation will support the charac- 
teristics that are enduring throughout eternity. 



After eight years of this educational experience in 
the phenomena and philosophy of spiritual laws and 
manifestations from the unseen spheres of life, my 
ancient spirit guardian made it known to me that I 
was to go out into the world and carry the light that 
had come to me into the dark places yet unreached 
by the spiritual illumination and that I was to work 
for the enlightenment of humanity. 

This was a consideration so serious, so unexpected 
to me, so unwished for that I was greatly disturbed 
and saddened by the responsibility that I suddenly 
found confronting me. I had entered into these in- 
vestigations for the purpose of finding the truth for 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 69 

myself — and in this experience I had enjoyed the 
co-operative interest of our family circle. I had no 
thought of making public our investigations, and I 
felt wholly unprepared for a work so outside my own 
plan of life. I wished to live quietly, simply, and 
enjoy in my own humble way the blessings that had 
come to me, so I opposed this request of my spiritual 
guide, and resolutely objected to what seemed placed 
before me for my undertaking. I felt as if the end of 
life had come, so unpleasant was the thought of this 
sacrifice. This selfishness on my part was met by 
my beautiful spirit guide with a loving smile. 

"My dear child," he said, "you know how valuable 
is time to the leaders of your nation?" I replied that 
I did. "Then," said he, "can you not see how val- 
uable is time to the souls that have lived in earth life, 
and have dwelt long in spirit and so understand what 
must be done to accomplish the uplifting of man- 
kind? Can you expect that wise spirits would devote 
all this time to you, for your own personal enlight- 
enment, if you were not to make known to others 
the value of these great truths, and so help others to 
arise in their own spiritual strength?" 

I was touched by this new consideration, and felt 
the truth of his appeal to my consciousness. "We 
are depending on you," he continued, "as an instru- 
ment with us, that we may give more light to the 



70 THE DIVINE GIFT 

world, and aid in the uplift of humanity. Let us 
work for the universal good of all people." 

I felt the loving influence of the dear ones of our 
own family who had passed to spirit life, and I saw 
their beckoning hands — I was inspired with a deeper 
knowledge of God's love and harmony, and appre- 
ciated as never before what blessings had come to 
me through the unselfish labors of my spirit friends. 
I would arise in one-ness with them in the expression 
of universal principles of life. I was conscious of 
being called to a higher expression, and a larger 
realization of the obligations of the individual to 
mankind in general — and I said that I would be 
equal to this call. 

These beautiful spirit friends have guided me as 
they felt it wise, and we shall be associated in work 
throughout eternity. In the succeeding years I have 
gained more strength and wisdom through further 
experiences, and I gladly give this in whatever way 
is necessary for the greater good that must result 
as time goes on. 

My desire is to make clearer the Deific principles 
to the world, and thus I am working, not only to 
better individualize myself, but to help others to an 
unfoldment of their own soul principles that they too 
may enlighten the minds of others and bring this 
baptism of the Spirit to all mankind, that they may 
see with their own spiritual eyes, and hear with their 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 71 

own spiritual ears, and realize in their own conscious- 
ness the beauty and the happiness that comes in 
serving this Divine Principle that is the life of every 
living creature, and that illumines every form in life. 
Through this spiritual refining power and wisdom 
shall we all individualize a spiritual character, and 
radiate these truths into the universe. Thus the har- 
monies of God's love inspires us by its music and 
we go on in tune with all that is vibrating through- 
out the spheres, and sing our souls' song in the uni- 
versal symphony of souls. 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 73 



CHAPTER II. 



NATURAL SCIENCE. 

The School of Natural Science has for its purpose 
not only the better understanding of the questions 
of health, but the subjects that pertain to the whole 
of life. Natural Science deals with the laws of Na- 
ture. These are the immutable laws of life that can- 
not be changed by man. These are the laws that 
are necessary for every one to understand, for it is 
only through true knowledge that improvement can 
be made in the conditions that environ mankind. 
This Science of Nature applies to all things that 
live and have their expression. These governing 
principles have not been discovered by those who 
live in the material interests only, for their eyes are 
closed to the inner forces, and the manifestations 
that reveal themselves so surely to the thoughtful 
student of Nature. 

This science refers you first to the blending of 



74 THE DIVINE GIFT 

spirit life — which is Deific life — through every uni- 
versal expression. When we open our eyes to look 
at Deity as He manifests Himself in every phase of 
life, then we have laid the cornerstone of the foun- 
dation of our educational structure. This is the 
requisite preparation for entrance into the great 
university where we advance, step by step, grada- 
tion by gradation, learning more of the wondrous 
mechanism of the material system, comprehending 
more and more of the living, loving principle that 
dwells in the visible forms, till we have become 
ready, through this wonderful educational process, 
to enter the invisible habitation, even there to con- 
tinue our search for truth and to eternally develop 
our own soul's treasures throughout infinity. 

Harmony — the harmonious interblending of mat- 
ter and spirit — is the block of the structure. 

When we have achieved something of harmony, 
then do we begin to know something of the beauty 
of this life. 

As we look upon the forests, as we see the rip- 
pling streams, as we breathe the fragrant air, as we 
hear the music of the birds, as we feel the rapture of 
the invisible associations, we are conscious of the 
universal vibration that awakens our soul self to 
responsiveness, and in harmony of spirit we are up- 
lifted by this singing of the universe as it reveals 
God's love and power. 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 75 

So we must look for the blending of the smaller 
things, and through this rise to the larger apprecia- 
tion and understanding of life, for only as we find 
the keynote can we establish our harmony. This is 
not the explanation as recognized by man, but that 
understanding that is created by the Great Life 
higher than ours. 

It is not for man to worship, but for man to live! 
It is for man to make a gradual growth, to unfold in 
the material form which has been developed as a 
temple in which to individualize the spirit — and if 
we are clean in body and soul, we shall find that our 
temple is clean to live in. 

Life is eternal! Earth life is but a small fraction 
of life, and in the few years we are to stay here we 
must learn the laws of life that we may be harmoni- 
ous in the great universe of life. 

The opportunity is as good today as when you 
step out into the unseen. You are living today in 
eternal life, and after your transition you will still 
be living in eternal life. Why wait? Why dream? 
Why not come to the realization of your opportuni- 
ties for a better progress in the truer unfoldment 
now? As this process of growth goes on, and as 
you live more in accord to natural law, you will be- 
come stronger, nobler, purer, with an indestructible 
foundation of truth. 

There is nothing grander than truth! There has 



76 THE DIVINE GIFT 

been no religious conception loftier than truth. The 
awakening of your soul means the uncovering of 
truth for you, that you may walk out into the light 
of truth, and live by its clear radiance. 

So do we construct our lives. God never forces 
nor compels man to live according to any special 
way or special belief. You have been placed here 
by the constructive forces of life, and the way you 
use these forces depends upon your understanding 
of them, and of your willingness to be led by the 
universal laws that determine all results. 

As man lives his day, just so surely he receives at 
night what is due him. The spiritual laws give us 
perfect justice. If we are living in the constructive 
laws, then we are ascending and building a stronger 
expression. We have only the destruction in life 
that man makes for himself. We have only the result 
that has come of man's use or misuse of the forces 
of life. We have the penalties and the benefits of 
his understanding — or misunderstanding. 

Man must be called back to the foundation princi- 
ples — to the truth of life. He must recognize Deity 
in all things and harmonize himself to the natural 
laws and open his own soul to receive not only the 
better things of this life as it spreads its beauty and 
its blessing on every hand, but he must ascend in 
his own spirit to receive the reflex of the higher 
minds that have passed onward, and so become more 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 77 

and more cognizant of the destiny that awaits him 
and be led to the hilltop of a vaster scene and a 
more elevated conception and aspiration of his own 
conduct and growth. 

Man has simply lived according to man's ideal, 
drifting out on the surface of events to an uncharted 
sea. 

Why has not man recognized this! Why has he 
not listened to the voices that have come from time 
to time — like that one of old crying in the wilder- 
ness — speaking that he may repent and prepare the 
way in his own soul for the blessing of truth and its 
guidance. Why has he not changed his course and 
made safer paths for the generations which came 
after him? Because the wheel of progress moves 
slowly. It is a question of evolution — of growth, of 
better reasoning power. 

But progress is a principle in every form of life, 
and it is leading man into the likeness for which he 
was destined. It is lifting man from the materialis- 
tic plane where he is living only in materialism, — 
in a state of doubt dense as granite that cannot re- 
ceive spiritual thought — it is leading him from these 
conditions of selfishness into a more universal ap- 
preciation of the rights of mankind. 

What is this soul self that is given to man? The 
soul self is given not to worship, but as a balancing 
power to equalize the physical and the mental and 



78 THE DIVINE GIFT 

to awaken the spiritual being that never dies, but 
lives eternally. A few more seasons and we are 
thrust out of this life. The spirit leaves the body — 
and we step out from earth into the sphere which 
is wholly spiritual. But even while we are housed 
here in the earthly body we are in spirit life, for 
there is no life possible that is not of spirit — it is 
only through divisions of time and space, of density 
and rarity, of what we call spirit and matter, that 
we are able to make definition and apparently sepa- 
rate that which is indivisible. It is all a question of 
form and condition, and of progressive develop- 
ment. 

If the scientists have been taught to reason wholly 
from a materialistic point of view, if because of their 
inflexible rule to admit of no premise and no con- 
clusion that cannot be proved except by visible 
demonstration through matter, that does not estab- 
lish any truth for the soul that sees deeper into the 
causes of life and knows that the life energy of all 
forms is the invisible spirit. And because this can- 
not be shown in their laboratories through material 
demonstration they turn deaf ears to the voice that 
calls through all expressions, and close their eyes to 
the wonderful beauty of the spiritual vision that re- 
veals itself in every form. 

We must not be made doubtful by the failures of 
these external scientists to establish the cause of life! 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 79 

Nay, rather must we hold them to the facts that we 
present, and to the reasoning processes that can show 
the interblending of spirit and matter, for this is life! 

We are spirit beings now. This body is our 
house. This world is our dwelling place. The ani- 
mation of the whole is spirit. The governing laws 
are spiritual. Why not learn to live according to 
these laws? 

These truths will guide you out from all trouble- 
some conditions — for these conditions are not life. 
They are only your conception of life. Walk out 
into the freedom and truth of your own soul, and 
there find health and all the other conditions that 
favor enlargement of life from every point of view. 
Power comes with wisdom and knowledge. Power 
comes not of ignorance. 

In Nature there is a limitless universal power that 
lives in everything. Natural Science opens to the 
individual an understanding of these laws that truth 
may be perceived and used for the upbuilding of 
humanity. There is no limitation to this accom- 
plishment because the soul self deals with that 
which is limitless. It depends upon us to what de- 
gree we progress, and how we operate these princi- 
ples, for in that proportion do we achieve life — and 
life is given to us. 

Man is accountable for his own condition in life. 
That which man earns through his own effort is his 



80 THE DIVINE GIFT 

forever. All that you gain here in wisdom and 
power, in the knowledge of the soul lives on through 
eternity. What you learn here you do not have to 
learn when you step out from this life and take 
your place in the advanced spheres. 

These thoughts must arise within your own soul 
self as you contemplate the conditions of life and 
destiny. 

Natural Science opens its arms to embrace the 
universe. None shall be cast aside, but all shall be 
included by its revelations. 

When we speak of Natural Science we are speak- 
ing of the laws of life. This school is needed. It 
brings a system to you that gives you tangible 
truths. It will teach you how to take care of your- 
self physically, mentally, spiritually. It means for 
you to become a powerful individual, a master of 
your own being — physically, mentally and spirit- 
ually — master of every condition in life that you 
come in touch with. 

This truth is to feed every soul. Natural Science 
is kind to all. It will stimulate man to higher im- 
pulses. It takes him kindly by the hand as a brother 
and leads him out from the stumbling blocks to the 
higher foundation that shall be as a habitation of 
safety for all eternity. 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 81 



CHAPTER III. 



LIFE. 



As we look back over the past and into the fu- 
ture we find from the viewpoint of Natural Science 
that there has been much to retard the unfolding 
of man to higher conditions. Interests have been 
circumscribed by material considerations and lim- 
ited to the apparent facts that seem most evident. 

When I use the expression Life, I mean eternal 
life — life as a whole, for life is endless and this 
sphere of existence is but a small part of the whole. 

We begin here as children to individualize and 
develop the immortal characteristics, and the ques- 
tion arises, How are we doing this? The question 
also arises as to the life beyond — and regardless of 
our religious preferences and beliefs, we must rec- 
ognize the fact that it is a life governed by spiritual 
law, and when we become cognizant of that fact 



82 THE DIVINE GIFT 

then must we understand that spiritual laws are the 
larger part of life. 

The line of separation has been drawn not only 
by the ignorant people, but by the educated as well, 
to whom the principles of spiritual life are not evi- 
dent and who are limited by material considera- 
tions, so that the great soul fountain that inter- 
blends throughout all expressions has not been ac- 
cepted into the consciousness of mankind gener- 
ally. 

Few there are who deny the continued existence, 
for the spiritual within is ever working for recogni- 
tion, but the absolute knowledge of immortality and 
of the Deity within all life is not given to them nor 
made by them a living reason upon which to base 
belief or scientific statement. 

As soon as man recognizes a life beyond this, then 
must he recognize spiritual law, not as a thing 
apart from life, but the governing factor that is 
within all life. They must recognize this life within 
their own being and follow their own spiritual con- 
sciousness, develop their own strength and individ- 
uality and not be drawn hither and thither in the at- 
tempt to pattern after other personalities. 

The sooner you look into your own life and ex- 
pand it, the sooner will you achieve what at the be- 
ginning seems impossible. Then as you begin to 
grow you are on the way to more celestial condi- 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 83 

tions; the banks of fog in which you have drifted 
will gradually clear; you will look out further on 
the great expanse of futurity and upon the ethereal 
waves of Deific principle you will find the responding 
love in Nature that uplifts you, that strengthens 
you, and that comes to you as a baptism of the holy 
spirit from the great throbbing heart of life called 
Deity. 

That life is an illuminating force filled with light, 
filled with the love of truth, of justice, of harmony, 
filled with everything that can make your life ex- 
pand till your own organism is permeated, and you 
find the physical, mental and spiritual working to- 
gether in harmony. If you have a splendid physi- 
cal body and a weak spiritual development what 
will be the result? Can you have these beautiful 
qualifications we have just spoken of? No, indeed! 
You need the principles of life that will help you to 
become a large spiritual character, a force today, a 
power that will be felt by all mankind — a power that 
is not limited to material things, but a power that 
is universal, an inspiration that will speak to the 
heart of man and open his vision to larger and 
higher living. 

I find that so many people are waiting — they do 
not know what they are waiting for — but some- 
thing not of the present, something that comes in 
some mysterious way to miraculously change the 



84 THE DIVINE GIFT 

dull things of the present into a sort of fabulous 
radiance and glory, unlike the every-day environ- 
ment, and more heroic than their own small en- 
deavors. But the tomorrow comes with the same 
stubborn facts, and the future has arrived — not in 
guise dreamed of and waited for — but as a just re- 
sult of the day after day of expectation without the 
attempt of making it a growth of progress realized. 

Today is the day of awakening! Today is the 
day to form a truer acquaintance with your soul- 
self and its immortal powers. Then you will find 
yourself no longer living by limited circumstance, 
you will no longer value the external and the fleet- 
ing, for the spirit is throbbing in your breast, and 
the spiritual principles are singing the songs of 
love and peace, and the desire will arise within you 
to grow to the heights, and so live that the world 
may be made better for your living in it. 

What has the old way of telling you to be good 
ever accomplished? Has it ever awakened you to 
the real value of life, or has it ever put implements 
of usefulness in your hands? It is the old story of 
casting your burdens on another, of being good 
through the deeds of another, of waiting for the 
glorious by and by — and the result is that your own 
accomplishment is as far off as ever. The lan- 
guage of the East came to us — the same drifting 
toward the vast unknown, the same mysterious ful- 



OF MEDIUMS-HIP 85 

fillment of another, the same, unaccountable presen- 
tation of the wonders of Nature, the same waiting 
for a more glorious era when mankind shall be sud- 
dently raised to impossible heights of happiness. 

Natural Science unveils the truth and shows that 
there are no mysteries — no achievement without 
preparation and growth. The great unseen is be- 
fore your gaze at this very hour. The most impor- 
tant thought of all is the necessity to begin to live 
your life now. I care not how far off your ideal 
may be, or the distance you find yourself from the 
spiritual realizations, but" if the awakening has 
come, whether from the East or whether from the 
West, or whether from the heavens beyond and 
over all, that mystery of life is solved for you from 
this hour. 

This truth which Natural Science can give to you 
comes from one of the larger souls who went from 
earth life and is completing a work to which I have 
dedicated my life. 

Now, cannot the declaration be made for your- 
self! That spirit within your mentality speaks to 
you surely of the sweetest, the grandest, the most 
untarnished things in the world, it opens your soul 
to the beholding of one of the greatest revelations 
of love — a love for wisdom and a love for truth. 

It is like a fountain when once opened, it is bub- 
bling up from pure crystal waters, cleansing your 



86 THE DIVINE GIFT 

life, baptising your very being to spiritual realiza- 
tion. Then you do not find it necessary to remove 
stumbling blocks, you do not have to avoid the 
thorns, for you have become lifted up, your feet are 
placed upon the foundations of truth. The imper- 
fect things fall away. Sadness, worry, distress, and 
all the troublesome appearances of this expression 
are left behind you. Now you are no longer ham- 
pered by the limited things, for you have become 
universal. You can see God as he manifests him- 
self. 

You listen with your spiritual ears; you see with 
your spiritual eyes; you sense with your spiritual 
consciousness, feeling your own soul-self rising to 
the heights of all these love principles which are 
bringing home to you grander music from God's 
great universe to harmonize you with yourself. 
Through this harmony of love principles you are 
living in a higher plane of life, even though in this 
material organism. Do not feel that you should be 
tied down in earth life or enslaved by anything. We 
are spirit — only embodied according to our present 
condition. The disembodied are your friends who 
are living in the spiritual spheres, and are often in 
your midst and visit you, that you may be guided 
by their love and wisdom to more intelligently ful- 
fill the destiny of your own individuality. If you 
will recognize yourself as a spirit today you will 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 87 

find that the narrow things of time have drifted 
away upon the bosom of the limitless sea of eter- 
nity. The universal love light fills all space. Life 
is a thing of beauty that never dies, but lives on for- 
ever. You and I have the same kindly privilege of 
this light, and this love, and this life. You and I 
can draw from this same great fountain, and find 
the same harmonious laws in all forms. Life is en- 
tirely in our hands. We mould and fashion our 
events to take the shape that our ideal patterns. We 
can break all shackles that bind us to lower life, and 
build with a power stronger than any of the storms 
that shall rise to wreck it. 

We can build life full of spiritual love, full of help 
for our brother man and sister woman. 

Start on the way today. Climb the great spiritual 
Alps of truth, view the limitless landscape that is 
flooded by the sunshine of wisdom and truth. Come 
face to face with the great laws of God, and you will 
be able to operate these laws. The thought that 
you are a free-born soul is a good thought to leave 
with you — that through your own liberty you may 
open your life to the spirit light and unfold into the 
larger things and rise day by day into that knowl- 
edge and power that is guiding you to the great soul 
source which is the life of life. 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 89 



CHAPTER IV. 



CHARACTER. 

In considering the question of character building 
we must refer you to Nature's laws and the great 
divine principle that permeates all things. This is 
necessary in order to find the proper adjustment. 
In meeting people we find in them some things that 
attract us, some things that disappoint us — some- 
thing that seems unequal, a lack of poise, a want of 
completeness. 

It is not a satisfactory answer to say that we are 
living in very imperfect conditions, for in all of life 
there is cause and effect, so we must investigate the 
characteristics still farther to find the cause of the 
lack of balance. It is well to find out whether we 
have a tendency to build up or to tear down — 
whether we are equalizing our nature in fairer pro- 



90 THE DIVINE GIFT 

portions, according to the possibilities lodged in 
every soul. 

In this expression one may have a well-developed 
physique, and yet the spiritual proportion may be 
very deficient. It is not wise to expect more than 
is in the person, but the question is that which re- 
lates to the development of what one really is, for 
the greatest factor in life is the unfolding of the 
spiritual. 

True, we are placed in a material world, and this 
is the world we are to live in during the physical 
existence, but if we live in wholly material effects 
we find ourselves wholly unmindful of the spiritual 
cause thus being weighed in the balance and find 
ourselves wanting in equal development, or the beau- 
tiful expression that results by union of the two. 
We must open the doors of our physical life to the 
spiritual truth. We must swing wide the portals of 
our being that from the dungeon of igonrance our 
souls may be liberated, and the imprisoned spirit go 
forth from its slavery to become its own master of 
circumstances. 

This is what Abraham Lincoln did for an en- 
slaved race. We find in him great spirituality that 
expressed itself in charity for all of humanity. 

The universal principle in character is that which 
liberates it, and is that which liberates others. It is 
an evidence in itself that the spirit is unfolding and 






OF MEDIUMSHIP 91 

permeating the very atoms of the whole being with 
new life for justice. It is this unfolding of the 
spiritual part that gives you anything individually 
beautiful when you enter the life beyond the grave. 
It is really all that makes life beautiful here. It is 
this that allows us to live in the fullness of experience 
here as we prepare for the future existence in the 
higher spheres. It relieves us of the obstructions 
that mankind has been storing up. Mankind meets 
with trouble and injustice because it has not yet 
freely opened its heart and consciousness to that 
great beauty that shines from the other sphere, the 
love that sings its sweetness into the lives of mortals, 
the justice that recompenses every life according to 
spiritual charity and the liberty that bids all sad- 
dened souls go free from their depths of slavery. 
These are some of the things we can appreciate in 
earth life. 

The materialists complain at the hardness of life 
here — but they scoff at spiritual truth — they are not 
philosophical, for after making their own bed they 
are unhappy at its lack of comforting qualities. This 
is inconsistent to complain of the result of our own 
hands. 

In speaking of spiritual qualities I would banish 
from your minds the usual thought that solemnity 
is spiritual — solemnity only adds to your burdens. 
In the great character of Deity we find that sunshine 



92 THE DIVINE GIFT 

is a power, a living principle that sheds warmth and 
love from the great source of light, and this warmth 
and love will reach any man that will turn his face 
to that great center called God. Even if you are 
in the darkness caused by your own degradation, 
the light is shining toward you from the great 
spiritual sun, and in the heights of this great loving 
character we find the infinite charity that ever opens 
its arms to sustain and give justice to all those who 
are ready to receive the spiritual embrace and be 
led, a welcome guest, into that beautiful home of 
celestial principles where the soul-self is illumined 
and refreshed. 

Can we not understand that spiritual unfoldment 
is the union or the adjustment of the physical, men- 
tal and spiritual within us, whereby we are thrilled 
by a harmony impossible otherwise. So when we 
speak of Deity's laws, we are not to feel meek and 
lowly, we are to realize we are children of the In- 
finite Father, and are to gather knowledge from 
this fount of wisdom that is expressed throughout 
all life, and in this love and wisdom feel only the 
happier things of loving, feel only the truth, see 
only the brightness that illuminates the way, and 
know only the larger love that gives charity and 
justice to our sister woman and brother man. 

Then shall we smile and not weep. Then shall we 
sing and not sigh, then shall we walk forth into the 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 93 

sunshine of our own soul into the larger life that is 
of all humanity. It is not necessary to set aside 
certain moments, certain hours, certain days in 
which to express these principles, but express them 
at all times, under all conditions. It may be in the 
market place, it may be in the social hour in our 
own homes, or it may be in an hour when we are 
confronted by serious responsibilities, grave ques- 
tions, overwhelming griefs — but in these hours we 
shall know the true light and sunshine that comes 
from the equal development of the physical, mental 
and spiritual characteristics. 

In the development of the spiritual nature it is 
beautiful to think that we are dealing with limitless 
life. The material life is limited. It drifts back into 
the elements from which it came, and is beautiful 
only when individualized by the spirit. 

It is a beautiful thought to realize that after you 
have gathered all the truths you can absorb into 
your life and live them through Deity's laws in Na- 
ture, there is just as much left to draw from as on 
the first day you feasted on the living elements. 
It is limitless in time, limitless in space, unfathom- 
able in all manifestations and conceptions. 

This gives us a glimpse of the wonderful power 
that is beyond the comprehension of any soul be- 
cause it is infinite and eternal. 

We have everything that is cheering, everything 



94 THE DIVINE GIFT 

that is uplifting, everything that is attractive as we 
go on our way, there is everything the living soul 
can need for the development of its best character- 
istics. This life, when separated from the great 
perfect life is small, is limited, is cold, is unkind, is 
selfish, and without the golden thread of love that is 
interwoven in and out the souls of men, binding 
them in love, uniting humanity in sympathy, this 
life is not worth the living. 

But however much this is disregarded, the truth 
remains the same, and even if not lived here, the 
spiritual life must prevail when you enter the spirit- 
ual domain. 

God does not make the darkened condition. Man 
makes it and carries its consequences with him 
wherever he goes. We find the well adjusted man 
radiating sunshine. He is always ready to give light 
to others, to lend a hand to the unfortunate, and to 
speak the kindly word when it is helpful; such a 
soul sends seeds of love over the universe which 
shall spring up into trees of life and knowledge, shel- 
tering and sustaining humanity. 

Are you expressing Deity's principle through 
your own natural organism? Are you doing the 
work of a master of life? Are you a being who is 
radiating the principles from the great soul center, 
and in this earthly life living joyfully, justly, wisely, 
naturally, so that when the great change called 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 95 

death opens your vision to immortal realities you 
will meet these with your spiritual eyes open, your 
spiritual ears hearing the heavenly harmonies be- 
cause you have realized these principles on earth, 
and thus enter the higher life a freed soul? If so, 
you find the home you yourself have builded because 
you have lived with spiritual unfoldment in the ma- 
terial life, and developed your character in accord 
with natural principles. This character has unfolded 
itself through the natural avenues which begin here 
and lead onward and upward eternally. 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 97 



CHAPTER V. 



CHARITY. 

As we speak of Charity we find ourselves standing 
upon the threshold of our own consciousness, here to 
surge out on the sea of life and to use for our guid- 
ance the chart that we find best adapted for our own 
particular course. 

Charity manifests itself unexpectedly in lives, as to 
time and place and thought according to the persons 
concerned. The common conception of charity is 
one that usually defines material giving — thus we 
have charitable institutions, charitable associations 
in connection with private and public endowments 
and appropriations for the benefit of the poor and 
the unfortunate. 

But true Charity is a living spirit. It is an inner 
flower that blooms forth in the heart of man and 
manifests itself in the outer expression as it ministers 



93 THE DIVINE GIFT 

both to the inner life of humanity and to the supply 
of material necessities. It is an essence that lives in 
the spiritual consciousness. It expresses kindness, 
harmony, love, — it is a universal principle of sun- 
shine and gladness that glows in the faces of mortals 
and radiates its power into the consciousness of all 
within its reach. 

It is one of the finer senses. It is a characteristic 
of the individual that should receive cultivation. 
Charity is a solvent for all the problems that con- 
front mankind in life. With Charity you are enabled 
to understand your brother man and sister woman 
and realize his or her position arid condition in life, 
and to judge of it justly — to do unto all as you would 
be done by, if the circumstances were reversed and 
it were you yourself who were experiencing that 
life's particular phase. The artificial and the super- 
ficial judgments are swept away by the revelations 
Nature makes, for in these laws we are shown kind- 
ness, justice and truth. You then have the key to 
every situation and condition that confronts every 
human soul, and it gives to you the open door to 
your own consciousness, and it depends upon your- 
self whether you act in a spirit of gladness and up- 
lifting encouragement, or whether you reply in the 
spirit of pharisaical criticism. 

People too often make their own obstacles. Char- 
ity never punishes. • Charity expands the under- 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 99 

standing. Chanty is one of the luminous rays of the 
soul's illumination by which we discern more clearly 
the reason of the darkness in humanity's sad experi- 
ences. It is a part of the eternal light that pene- 
trates all shadows and reveals the love that lives in 
every heart. 

You do not step downward as you seek to find the 
way to help your brother, you do not take the posi- 
tion of evil in coming in contact with its results ; you 
lift the victim of its wretchedness to your plane, and 
there make him an equal, by giving him an equal 
opportunity to express the qualities that your light 
has revealed to him. 

Charity is not something to talk about — it is some- 
thing that thrills us by its vibratory force. 

It awakens mankind spiritually, mentally, physi- 
cally, and has of its substance enough that is merciful 
to give of its abundance to the whole world — not 
only its material needs — but its spiritual life as well 
For in these wonderful, stimulating spiritual forces 
the mental can assert itself in just the degree the in- 
telligence of the individual responds to its awakening 
power. This is a truth that man will find in his own 
consciousness when he gives up his physical form to 
the control of his spiritual self. Then spirit assumes 
the power of life; then will these grand truths be 
manifest in every individual. 

Vibration expresses itself in every condition ol 



100 THE DIVINE GIFT 

life. These principles have been brought into ma- 
terial instruments that are used for material pur- 
poses, even to the upbuilding of physical health. The 
rays of light, the rays of atmosphere, are classified 
and their uses analyzed. Their relationship to the 
individual life has been established — and the differ- 
ent rays of light have been experimented with for the 
cure of various diseases. 

If man can manufacture out of his own conscious- 
ness instruments to produce these physical effects by 
vibration of light or electricity, why then is not his 
own consciousness that made these instruments in- 
telligent enough to use that mentality without the 
external aids? This mentality is affected and stimu- 
lated by the depths of your own consciousness to 
send through your own organism these vibrations, 
these rays of light and life that illuminate your own 
center within by the light that is the life force, the 
very Deific principle which draws us nearer the great 
oversoul of life. This is a greater perfection than 
can be obtained by any material force through any 
mechanical construction or device! Why not use 
these rays of the human soul instead of experiment- 
ing with the cruder material waves of light that 
come through material substance, instead of that 
higher development which is a part of the vibratory 
life of the eternal, immortal, infinite spirit! 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 101 

These powerful rays can be sent through your 
own organism. 

These vibrations whose center is within your own 
inmost soul is the life force of every life, and what 
is there on earth that can compare with its purity and 
power! The world has been too long rocked to sleep 
by materialistic motions, but the time for the awak- 
ening has come. Childhood is outgrown, and we 
have now reached maturity. The sleep of ignorance 
is not enlivening to the higher faculties. Material- 
ism has ministered long enough to the senses. The 
mental qualities have been dedicated long enough to 
material advance, and now let the consciousness that 
is superior to the exhibitions of mechanical instru- 
ments be given its right to demonstrate its intuitive 
wisdom and wonderful dominance over matter. 

This refers you back to the truth that spirit pro- 
duced matter, thus proving spirit to be the higher 
intelligence and power. Every manifestation in the 
world points to the fact that spirit is the living es- 
sence in all persons and powers, so why should man- 
kind continue to live enslaved by materialism. 

Let us not be limited by the materialistic concep- 
tion of Charity, for it is of spirit, and when man rec- 
ognizes spirit in any form then has he recognized 
spiritual law, and broken the bonds of his material- 
istic limitations. He has taken away the foundation 
for his previous argument whereby he attempted to 



102 THE DIVINE GIFT 

prove that matter comprises all that we know. Char- 
ity not only brings to others the helping hand, upon 
which the heart is placed — but the very spirit of kind- 
ness smiles in the act of mercy, and through which 
material aid expresses itself by spiritual fullness and 
greatness. Charity is so large, so broad, so peace- 
ful, so loving, so powerful, so wonderful that it be- 
comes limitless in its expressions. Man cannot 
reach out to its wonderful heights nor comprehend 
its vast deeps, nor exhibit its great power. We are 
thankful that we can find our way out from the nar- 
row avenues of materialistic confines, out into the 
broad field of thought that is illuminated by our 
own spiritual consciousness, and there find that from 
the little things that we have gathered we have built 
the foundation for the wonderful structure of Char- 
ity that is so vast in its universal forms that we can 
never explore all it contains as a Temple of Justice 
and Mercy. 

This spirit of Charity must be unfolded in its 
beauty in our own lives, for it lives with us always. 
It is with us on all occasions, all times, whatever the 
obstacles, or whatever the beauty is that lies before 
us — it is the spirit of life that is a part of the immor- 
tal consciousness, it is a part of every individualiza- 
tion. 

It enriches your inner life with the perfume of its 
perfect flowering, as it unfolds the blossom of your 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 103 

own soul. We must observe this expression of per- 
fect life, and cultivate it. This beautiful flower of 
flowers from the garden of life, hidden from the vis- 
ion of man because of his lack of charity — unrealized 
by the cold world because of its unconsciousness of 
the truer beauty that unfolds so slowly in the atmos- 
phere of materialism. 

But the light and life and color and perfume are 
in every soul, and from this spiritual material you 
are forming yourselves as individuals. 

Are you making your soul's garments from the 
texture of earthly material? What is the quality of 
your covering? Are you weaving the substances of 
life from the obstructions you have made? Are you 
filling the background with darkness that is igno- 
rantly made day by day because you have not known 
the light that comes of Charity? Is it made of the 
materials that we banish at the resurrection — is it 
woven of that which corrupts and fetters the soul? 

It is here that you are weaving the tapestry for 
your home in spirit not made with hands. Is it pat- 
terned with the brightness that shines from the love 
that Charity gives you, or of the misdeeds and mis- 
understandings, and wrong so ignorantly, so pitifully 
done in this beautiful natural life given us by God? 

The spirit of charity sweetens life; it is the con- 
sciousness within you of God's light, love and truth, 



104 THE DIVINE GIFT 

and beams through your gaze out into the world that 
all humanity may be helped by its gleam. 

Flowers will spring up by the wayside, beautiful 
in color, fragrant in perfume, warm and loving, — 
flowers that will weave themselves in the tapestry 
you are weaving for the temple of. your spirit. These 
thoughts are not formed by the ideas that mankind 
has given forth, but from the true spirit of love that 
you forever have these things God has given you, 
and through which you have been awakened and 
your consciousness aroused by the comprehensive 
consideration that Natural Science gives. 

Charity is the spirit of Love that is expressed by 
any individual however humble, at the moment it is 
needed, and in the way it is needed. 

These beauties and these glories radiate from the 
soul center a brilliance that blinds the mortal eyes, 
but gives sight to the immortal vision. Its great 
forces of life are everlasting. Its love is extended to 
all that all may know and live its power through the. 
avenues opened to your better understanding 
thrcttsrh Natural Science. 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 105 



CHAPTER VI. 



HARMONY. 

As we are about to consider the beautiful subject 
of Harmony let us look out into life itself that the 
angels may strike the silver strings and sound the 
melodies of Nature. 

We find here the sweetest tones that the soul can 
respond to. We find not only the symphony of har- 
monious sound, but the symphony of color; we find 
the light that radiates from its jeweled crown illum- 
ining the hearts of those whose intelligence beholds 
its rays divine. 

Harmony is the spirit of loveliness that has been 
ill-treated, misunderstood, ignored, ill-governed by 
so many, that even though they have used it as a 
watchword they have never manifested it in any 
way in connection with themselves or introduced it 
into their surroundings and so have never beheld 
its wonderful beauty. 



106 THE DIVINE GIFT 

Harmony is a two-fold force in the universe, its 
wisdom, its power, its love is always seeking to 
unite the elements of life, seeking to unite human 
souls into greater consciousness of their own spirit- 
ual, mental and physical possibilities, and awaken 
them to the realization of this beautiful principle 
that flows throughout every natural avenue. 

Harmony in its loving wisdom unites individuals 
through their own knowledge, spiritually, socially 
and mentally, so we find this a mighty factor of the 
unseen, a powerful, beautiful angel that is illumi- 
nating the darkness in life and surely singing its 
way into the hearts that are shadowed, dispelling 
discord by its own vibrations, and thrilling human- 
ity with nobler and gentler music than the sounds 
of warfare and strife. 

It is unselfish and universal in its love and kind- 
ness. It is ever ready to blend itself into the lives 
of all the children of the universe wherever they 
may be. 

I feel that it is almost impossible to express in 
language what this spirit of harmony is to our con- 
sciousness, or to use any word that shall express its 
value, its grandeur; its luminous effect when it 
once becomes the ideal principle in any life. It is a 
wisdom so charitable in its conception that it is ever 
ready to be the peacemaker in hours of trial — when 
the dark clouds of sadness and grief have encom- 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 107 

passed the soul so strongly it seems as if they would 
never be lifted, nor the sun ever shine in upon the 
life. Here we find Harmony uttering a prayer that 
the darkness be dispelled and that the sunshine may 
pour down, and flood the consciousness with har- 
monious realizations of the greater truths within 
the soul-self and that have their source in the great 
center of all that is love and wisdom and Harmony. 

Its admission never fails to unite those who are 
at war with themselves, or with each other. So we 
find in this soul-life such a radiant delicacy of spir- 
ituality, so boundless, that it reaches out into infin- 
ity — throughout the whole universe of matter and 
spirit, and yet it has been ignored, unrecognized in 
this world of discordant purposes and has had to 
wait in silence for the time to come when humanity 
as individuals or as a whole shall welcome its sweet 
utterance. 

The great wells of life are overflowing with truths 
yet unperceived by many. From this Deific foun- 
tain I would bring a thought unspoken by man, that 
there may be born into our consciousness this 
greater knowledge, and that we may give these 
thoughts to others that the world may be impreg- 
nated by wisdom and become acquainted with this 
beautiful spirit of Harmony. This would be the 
world's chiefest blessing. It would remove from 
life the most serious stumbling blocks in the path- 



108 THE DIVINE GIFT 

way of man. I know of nothing the world is suf- 
fering more from the want of than Harmony ! One 
reason for this is the lack of comprehension of its 
true meaning. The world has considered only the 
outer material meaning of the word, and has not 
beheld its true spiritual significance as it lives in all 
life, in every sphere, in every universal law and so 
this most merciful angel has suffered the enmity 
instead of the friendship of mankind, and yet is 
mankind's tenderest friend. 

In entering the spiritual consideration of any- 
thing we are entering into the fundamental laws of 
the universe, thus we shall round out in our own 
mentality a larger conception of harmony than is 
otherwise possible. We shall behold its radiance 
that shines in the lives of others, we shall see the 
motion of the planets, we shall understand the 
music of the spheres — we shall find that Harmony 
is an infinite, eternal principle worthy of our high- 
est thought and aspiration. Thus we will be wafted 
away upon a flood of light by its sweet songs, for 
we shall then hear the music of our own soul's 
symphony that sings its part in the orchestration of 
life, we shall sound the one string of this universal 
unseen instrument that brings to every heart the 
baptism of living music that thrills and stimulates 
every organ of your physical being, and lifts you 
out from the smaller things of every-day considera- 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 109 

tions, leads you out from the darkened pathway 
and places you on this cloud of such ethereal yet 
wonderful power that it seems like a bed of ease 
upon which you drift in a universe of love, united 
in motherly and sisterly harmony, drawing others 
unto you that they may be glorified by this same 
singing of the soul as it realizes the music of 
Deity's universal symphony. 

Thus we find the true relationship of each to the 
other, and know the joys and the sorrows and the 
obstacles in every life. 

From the great fountain of heaven's soul-center 
comes the baptism for every soul because it has 
been won by its own beautiful quality, it has won by 
its own beautiful light, which is still radiant and 
luminous by the light of the heights, and as the 
angels look down to us can we not feel their spir- 
itual harmony and the love of our dear ones who 
dwell in this unseen sphere? Is this thought not 
filling our souls, is not this the true spiritual music 
which harmonizes with our consciousness and 
brings us close to the border line of the seen and 
the unseen? 

It is all an interblending of spirit and matter. It 
is all for your unfoldment as an individual upon 
this plane, that you may go on from this prepara- 
tory structure to the many mansions in the great 
celestial domain, where this spirit of love thrills 



110 THE DIVINE GIFT 

every life and radiates back to those who still live 
here, who still love and are loved ! The great so- 
called mystery has passed away. The great curtain 
has been pushed aside, and as each consciousness 
enters here, finding its own place through its own 
principle of harmonious relationship then shall it 
see with its own spiritual eyes, and feel with its 
own spiritual faculties, and hear with its own spirit- 
ual ears, no longer held by the cold things of mate- 
rial limitations, no longer held by the thought of 
material death, but freed by eternal life with larger 
realizations, and greater joy in this consciousness 
of the boundlessness of this life. It is as if the soul 
had blossomed into the unseen, — a spiritual flower 
that has thrust itself through the veil that the 
beauty and purity and harmony of that sphere may 
be realized as is not possible in this environment, — 
for it is here that you see with spiritual eye, and 
hear with spiritual ear, and know with spiritual 
consciousness. 

Take home to yourself this beautiful harmony of 
spirit. Nestle it close by your side, hover it to your 
breast, make it your companion, let it live with you 
and never perish, let it light your atmosphere and 
never vanish; let it sing its songs to your heart, and 
let your spirit flow through all the material conditions 
so that these may be warmed and enlivened and never 
grow cold. Make yourself worthy this beautiful 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 111 

angel while here, that it be ever found at your side 
accompanying you in all your relationships and ex- 
periences, even if you have to walk the downward 
path of misfortune it may then lead you to the 
heights of your own consciousness and never be lost 
from your sight. You are thus a part of this har- 
mony. You have won it — it will live with you 
throughout eternity. 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 113 



CHAPTER VII. 



THE PROBLEM OF LIFE AND THE WELFARE 
OF HUMANITY. 

The Problem of Life has presented itself to the 
world since life began. The best minds in all ages 
have given themselves to the solving of this problem — 
the life of humanity has been given to the sustaining 
of material life — and still the question presents it- 
self just as complex and unanswered as it did at the 
beginning. The research work of historian and 
scientist has furnished only partial theories and 
isolated attempts to give a practical theory upon 
which to base some action, but the same facts are 
stubbornly before us. Man has gone on his way 
accumulating a materialistic supply, and brought to 
his home the needs of the hour — and we must ask 
how has he brought these comforts and these luxuries, 
or even the necessities? How has he succeeded in 
ministering to his own especial wants, while such in- 



114 THE DIVINE GIFT 

equality of substance and comfort exists for the other 
half of mankind? How has the individual amassed 
his wealth? How has he obtained his pleasure? Can 
any man have in abundance without oppressing some 
other man? If so what is his gain? Has he solved 
the problem of life? Has he added to the welfare 
of humanity? No man has solved the problem of 
his own life or any other life unless he has lived so 
that he has helped his brother man, and because this 
is not the general aim in the life of every individual 
is the cause of all class distinction, and the reason 
why there are such contrasts in conditions, and makes 
the gulf between labor and capital, and the great un- 
rest in the social and industrial world. 

This is a living demonstration, this is a fact! Man 
has accumulated in his own materialistic way, he has 
toiled and gained for selfish purposes, he has reckoned 
only to his own advantage, and that is the reason the 
problem is standing before us at this time. The ques- 
tion has not been met with the full realization of the 
bearing that every life has upon this question. Single 
attempts are made by generous souls to right the 
wrongs of oppression, reforms are instituted by 
wiser minds, and lives are given freely that the con- 
dition of the enslaved may be improved, but until 
there is a truer and better understanding of the laws 
of life the general situation will remain the same — 
unbalanced, incomplete. 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 115 

The School of Natural Science would turn people's 
minds to spiritual law, to cause and effect, that the 
world may be moved by the truth of Nature in its 
universal methods, for in this truth is the curative 
for all the ill and ignoble conditions of life. 

The wealthiest as well as the poorest man is strug- 
gling with the facts of life. The poor, depressed 
children of the world are struggling for a mere exist- 
ence ; the middle class are struggling to be respectable 
and to gain some part of the advantages that even 
now are just beyond their reach; the wealthy are 
struggling for still more wealth and power, and 
complain that the poor expect too much from them! 

All classes complain of each other, all classes fret 
against conditions, all classes make the unrest so 
acute that warfare is constantly breaking out in one 
form or another, and there is no settled peace among 
nations, or among industries. These facts tell us that 
each class is at fault. Each class is living on the 
surface, — whether voluntarily or involuntarily, 
whether from choice and attraction, or whether from 
oppression and injustice, the people are living in 
materialistic considerations, and are suffering the 
effects that are a natural result of their own inter- 
pretation of life. 

To live unequally either in the material or spiritual 
consideration means unbalance, and by this nothing 
is adjusted. The world's problems must be grasped 



116 THE DIVINE GIFT 

in their full and equal proportion as they affect all 
classes, all conditions, — the welfare of the present 
and the welfare of the future. The ideals, the 
energy, the attainments of the whole world are toward 
materialistic triumph. It is very necessary, and 
very appropriate that everything pertaining to mate- 
rial life should have the fullest consideration, that 
mind, genius, invention should flower forth into all 
the beauty and power that shall make this world and 
its nations a perfect world — for Nature has given us 
every resource, and has made man a comprehensive, 
intuitive, inventive, industrious, artistic, resourceful 
being — but it is not beautiful nor appropriate that in 
the exercise of his faculties toward the materialistic 
ends that he should dominate those who happen to 
be weaker, or snatch from those whose reach is not 
so long as his own, or gain for himself through the 
sure loss of the others — and so have no heed of the 
other part of his own life that would direct him 
toward a spiritual unfoldment and interblending that 
would enlighten him as to truth and justice and 
solve once and forever his problem and the world's 
problem of life. 

So long as men live only on the materialistic side 
of life, they will never know the spiritual. It is the 
spiritual conception that must unfold the solution of 
every problem in the great universe of life. This is 
the unlimited fountain of truth, the only source of 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 117 

energy, and it is here that the mind must go to find 
the laws that make harmony possible. When we 
awaken to this fact we find ourselves as a real part 
of life, and that life has a real relationship to us in 
all the possible unfoldment of purposes. Life means 
to us just what we make it, just in what manner we 
solve its problems, just in what degree we are con- 
scious of its wonderful spiritual possibilities, so we 
must refer to this consciousness within each indi- 
vidual, and until the scholar and scientist realizes 
this inner source of truth and the laws of spirit the 
problem will not be solved upon purely educational 
systems. It is these men who are educating the 
world. They have the power to lead people as they 
choose. They are the recognized authority, and when 
one of these learned men or scientists admits the pro- 
bability of the spiritual cause of life, and the immor- 
tality of the individual spirit and the connection be- 
tween spirit and matter, then the world suddenly 
takes notice and listens momentarily as if this truth 
had never been uttered before. 

This shows us how unmistakably the universities 
shape the thought of the times. How their profes- 
sors have the confidence of the people, how the scien- 
tists by chemical experiments in matter, are consid- 
ered equal to the task of passing judgment upon the 
great questions of causation, how medical authority 
determines the methods of treating the human body, 



118 THE DIVINE GIFT 

and how all questions of brain, body, earth and plan- 
ets and the social conditions are analyzed and classi- 
fied according to the prevailing educational system 
and the conclusions of these learned men are the 
accepted standards that form the thought of the peo- 
ple. Their progress or lack of progress, the history 
of learning generally, its sources and its attainments 
need not be detailed here. It has accumulated much 
that is valuable in data, in material science, in historic 
significance, but it will always be insufficient and halt- 
ing until it accepts the truth of the interior principles 
that are the laws of all existence and all phenomena, 
and that must regulate all life if we are to have the 
true expression of life. Educators must awaken to 
the universal realities of Cause and Effect. 

The School of Natural Science has started out in 
the hope of turning the intelligence of mankind 
toward the great spiritual laws and thus to an under- 
standing of spiritual life — for all life is spiritual. 
Without spirit there is no life. We hope to give to 
the world a truth that will awaken mind within itself, 
so it will know with its own spiritual faculties, and 
see with its own spiritual eyes, and hear with its own 
spiritual ears, and if we only plant the seed that even 
fifty years later springs up into this wonderful tree 
of knowledge, we shall feel that this work cannot be 
measured in its value. It is spirit that will live in 



OF MEDIUM-SHIP 119 

the words that are spoken, because back of them and 
back of this work is spiritual power. 

In this inspiration we find the angel of love that 
is ever hovering above humanity seeking to raise 
the consciousness of mankind that it may grasp this 
truth and hold it high that it may be seen in all its 
beauty and grandeur. 

Men may search the highways and byways of life 
— all the theories and creeds and social systems in 
the universe — but so long as the welfare of human- 
ity is measured by material or economic considera- 
tions alone, and the problems of life weighed in the 
scales not truly balanced by spiritual principles, 
then will the reason be shown for the failure to 
accomplish a true adjustment in the affairs of hu- 
manity. The evils have grown since the beginning. 
Ignorance is the cause of injustice. Selfishness pre- 
vails in the struggle for existence. Ambition is the 
legitimate result of selfishness — and in this confu- 
sion of power and weakness the world has not been 
able to see clearly into the cause and relief of unfor- 
tunate situations. But the universe has its own 
power within itself and within every condition to 
adjust and save itself, for it is not of one quality 
alone — matter — it is of spiritual essence that is pro- 
gressionally interpenetrating all conditions, and, ac- 
cording to its own law, bringing light into darkness 



120 THE DIVINE GIFT 

and opening the inner life to a knowledge of its 
principles and its power, and its eternity. 

Many grand and beautiful things have been ac- 
complished through the material considerations, but 
just so far as it lacks spiritual illumination, it fails 
in just that degree to bring about the desired result. 
Just so long as man is dense to spiritual light, just 
so long will his true development be retarded. The 
darkness is as real to his spiritual blindness as is 
the density of granite walls to his natural eyes. 
Until man extends himself beyond the limitations 
he will continue to travel the same old paths, and 
get no further from the selfhood of materialism. 
This ignorance exists in all classes, in all people, 
large and small, poor and rich, young and old, in 
all nations and in all conditions. Life is viewed from 
one circle — each standing at his own particular arc 
or segment, but seeing only within the circle, and 
not turning to look beyond the outer rim of its 
boundary. Man possibly is not to blame for this — 
he has been so engrossed by the material problem of 
life that he has left his education to the minds of 
those he considered qualified to teach, and placed 
the care of his soul in the hands of priests and min- 
isters who could generally assure him ease and re- 
ward in the next existence. 

But the mind of man will think for itself. It will 
awake from ignorance, its own principles of progres- 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 121 

sion born of its own spiritual life will liberate man 
so that he will find the right words and apply them 
to the questions of life, and thus he will break from 
the rule of injustice and set aside the selfish systems 
and work toward his own soul freedom and the soul 
freedom of every individual. Here and there in all 
ages a few have been touched by the spiritual 
inspiration, and these sensitive souls have been con- 
scious of the spiritual laws, and realized that free- 
dom was the birthright of every individual. If 
they could have been given this freedom by the self- 
made authorities, then they would have made this 
truth a system for every life, and there would have 
been no problem such as we are now considering. 
These Deific principles would have breathed the life- 
giving elements of self knowledge, of spiritual law, 
of the freedom of every created soul, of the rights 
of every individual to these laws into the conscious- 
ness of all mankind, but instead of this has been 
oppression and injustice and slavery and ignorance. 
The great creative force of life is not known, and 
it is as if men were walking with blinded eyes in a 
world of sunshine. Even the sun worshippers gave 
thought to the great form of life that sustained 
them, and so knew they could not exist if there were 
not matter created by spirit. Therefore there must 
be a quality of spirit in our sunshine, so let us think 
of that as spiritual, as well as material, power that 



122 THE DIVINE GIFT 

is sustaining life and begin to harmonize ourselves 
with Deity, and from these first principles go on 
to the realization of the larger considerations. Let 
us attract all of these life-giving elements of spirit 
even as the earth attracts the vivifying rays of the 
sun, and let us use this life for our own sustaining 
power whereby we may be healed physically, men- 
tally and truly harmonized with spirit. 

Life is filled with everything. There is all that 
man needs in all conditions and at all times, every- 
thing that is adapted for his health, happiness and 
prosperity — all that welfare can ask! Man was 
born into this wonderful garden with everything to 
supply his wants, everything to minister to his love 
of beauty; into this he was born free — for God is 
a God of Freedom. But man in his ignorance did 
not know how to use this freedom, or allow others 
the blessed gift of all gifts, his own self right — but 
in his inexperience and immaturity has not ad- 
vanced very far yet upon the broad highway of 
knowledge, but has stumbled along in narrow paths 
and deprived himself of much that was beautiful and 
enjoyable. This is all very natural, all very much 
in accord with progressive development, of learn- 
ing through experience, and so from this ignorance 
we know the flower of wisdom will blossom sooner 
or later, and that man will seek to know more the 
great life that is unfolding itself in the material 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 123 

existence. The wonder is that the response does 
not come more quickly. Man knows his own fail- 
ure — he must recognize that his system is not a 
success — or he would not complain of it — and he 
should not blame God for the inequalities and the 
bondage of life when God gave him Freedom. 

Unfortunately the individuals who have seen be- 
yond the limitations of any age, who have stepped 
out in thought beyond the prescribed line, who have 
sought to give freedom that men might be reformed, 
who have called the world to awaken to truth, these 
men who would bring more light to the world have 
suffered the misunderstanding of the people, and 
the hand that bears the torch has been struck down 
by those that would live in darkness. 

But we have stepped out of the limitations im- 
posed by mankind, walk in the freedom of our own 
lives, seeking light and truth, and the harmonization 
that comes through spiritual law. Then do we have 
power, and then do we have wisdom — and of this 
power and wisdom do we give to the world healing 
for the physical ills, healing for the social wounds, 
healing for the suffering souls. 

The science that is of Nature prefers to open 
your eyes to a knowledge of your own power to an 
understanding of the energy of life, that each one 
may attract the life-giving force that is a part of his 
spiritual equilibrium, and that makes his own har- 



124 THE DIVINE GIFT 

mony of body and soul, and by this knowledge give 
freely that the elements of perfect life may be 
brought to the consciousness of the whole world. 
This is the fulfillment of the law of life, the creative 
universal force is equal to every need, and its truth 
will solve every problem. This is the law of God. 
Love it, control it for your own welfare, walk With 
it as a brother and as a sister, live with it in peace, 
act it in every expression, be conscious of it as the 
natural law of life. 

Then you will find yourself a part of life, not as 
you now understand it, but made clear through the 
spiritual light that is unlimited in height and depth 
and breadth and penetration, for its illuminating 
effect is universal. 

This is yours to live today, not to wait until you 
are thrust out into spirit, but to live it here as spirit, 
and then when you open your eyes in that life you 
have not only enjoyed its beauties and its truths 
and its privileges and its power here, but you are 
better fitted to enter into the fuller freedom of the 
same laws and principles in the life that is there. 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 125 



CHAPTER VIII. 



PRAYER. 

A formal, customary prayer used for the masses is 
of no value either to the one who makes it or the 
ones who listen. Natural Science refers you to nat- 
ural resources and to natural law, whereby you may 
understand the uses of prayer, so through these prin- 
ciples we must take into consideration the existing 
conditions of life — of the individual and the source 
of all life. 

Why should there be any question as to the use 
of prayer or as to its value and propriety since we 
find that prayer has been a customary voluntary and 
involuntary way of appeal to the Power outside the 
realm of the world's immediate reach, through all the 
ages. This would indicate that there is no doubt as 
to the efficacy of prayer — that the results have not 



126 THE DIVINE GIFT 

been in accord with the general understanding and 
purpose of prayer. 

It seems to us that the reason of this is that people 
have been praying from their own lives as they have 
been living them in a narrow, unenlightened ma- 
terialistic sense, and that their prayers are a part of 
their own conditions, and the result is that intellec- 
tually it is of no benefit, and cannot reach the great 
soul formation for it comes merely from the surface 
of life and not from their own soul organism. 

Thus prayer is just what man has made it, and 
having made such petitions and lived in such con- 
ditions, man inconsistently complains at the lack of 
result of prayer, and is disappointed that the ex- 
pected answer is not a realization. So he becomes 
almost an infidel, unbelieving in spiritual things be- 
cause they are not manifested according to his dark 
and narrow thought. He simply has not received the 
things he hoped for — and not seeing the great prin- 
ciples of cause and effect as they are interwoven in 
every condition of life, he becomes doubtful of any 
purpose or design or immortal destiny in life, and 
feels that it is all a bewildering maze of blind chance 
or destiny — and continues on in more materialistic 
efforts. We see that this is error, and that accord- 
ing to Nature it is impossible to receive something 
we have cut ourselves out from by our own forms of 
thought and ways of life. 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 127 

It is only justice that we do not receive what we 
thus ask — and we would turn the mind to the great 
spirit life that lives in all forms and that permeates 
all things, and in this way open the door of God's 
divine laws of spiritual truth that the question may 
be solved, and the answer brought home. Then 
shall we find the spirit self freed and liberated from 
the conditions that made it powerless by its material 
conceptions, and then shall the soul rise to heights 
within man and flood his thought with spirituality in 
such a prayer that he will no longer question, but in 
the mirror of life — in the dancing waters — will see the 
reflected life of Deity and will receive his answer. 
Such a prayer means that man is reaching to the 
heights to be sustained and assisted to better the ma- 
terial conditions that have held him in darkness. 

Such a prayer grows out from the spirit self to co- 
operate with the great souls from the higher life, and 
to receive that Deific spirit that comes from the 
heights whose truth is everlasting and can meet the 
requirements of every life. 

This prayer is a prayer from the soul-self and it 
vibrates with the mighty power of God's wisdom and 
love. Then is the soul-self an instrument whose 
inner being rings out in harmonious tone from the 
organism of the one who prays and its sweet melo- 
dies are felt by all who listen. Its ascension to the 
higher altitudes is felt by all who come in reach of 



128 THE DIVINE GIFT 

its beautiful atmosphere. This is the true prayer of 
the life of spirituality that is no longer drumming 
away on the density of man's material corruption, no 
longer is it a prayer that is merely pleasing to the 
minds of the selfish or flattering to the ambitions of 
those who wish to be powerful in material pleasures. 
This prayer is the angel of love that you will feel in 
your consciousness. Its waves of inspiring wisdom 
will be felt, and the sweet peace of its love will per- 
meate every atom of your material organism; the 
sunshine of eternal life will pour upon you as an es- 
sence of life that is passing through the gateway of 
your own being, because your soul-self has reached 
out into the universe of angels and has called for 
their help — called for the interblending of their life 
with yours, called for their assistance to cleanse the 
atmosphere that is dense and stifling to your con- 
sciousness, and through which your own higher prin- 
ciple does not make its way without the power of the 
arisen loved ones. 

Thus we find in the sacredness of such a prayer 
the answer that is according to its knowledge, ac- 
cording to the great spiritual laws of life, according 
to the perception of truth, and according to the sin- 
cerity of the individual for such possibilities; then 
will the answer come home to you and yours because 
in the questions as to the benefit of prayer the reply 
must come through the great natural-spiritual law 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 129 

for the interblending of Deific force and life that can 

permeate all forms and penetrate all things, and 
illuminate all darkness, and lift all men to a higher 
realization of spiritual principles. 

So would I impress upon your minds the sacred- 
ness of this beautiful, radiant gateway that opens 
your life, and that is the entrance through which is 
received the ever-living principles that you would in- 
vite into your consciousness. 

Your own soul asks as it feels the need of being 
strengthened, supported, sustained and nourished by 
a higher spirituality than you see about you, that you 
may grow from a babe to a wonderfully developed 
power within yourself, that you may become well 
poised, independent, that you may gain for yourself 
the power out of the life elements that you attract 
through this radiant gateway, that you may control 
every action, every motion of your life materially and 
mentally; that no longer will you be struggling in 
the narrowness of material ideals and opinions, no 
longer feel the weakness of an unsupported material- 
istic life without the spirit, no longer feel the dark- 
ened hours of despair and loneliness, disheartened 
because the radiant fields of life do not appear to you 
in your saddened hours, but you will feel yourself 
beaming with the sunshine of God's love flowing in 
through this radiant gateway in answer to the call 
of the spirit of your own life, and after you have be- 



130 THE DIVINE GIFT 

come a strong, spiritual character greater reward 
shall be yours because you are surging out on the 
great deeps of life, you are reaching out to the great 
source of refinement, to the heights of the ethereal 
atmosphere that is the strongest power that prevails 
in any form of life, and you have gained for yourself 
through prayer this wisdom and peace and love that 
shall live with you every hour, every day as long as 
life is, and that lasts throughout eternity. 

So in this thought of prayer we find the spirit of 
prayer. This is the only kind of prayer that God 
answers, for this is in accord with his wonderful con- 
structive life, according to the beautiful life that is 
more merciful to man than man could ever make life 
for himself. 

This conception of prayer and its manner of an- 
swer could not be thrust on man in his ignorance; he 
could not behold it in its true significance, he would 
not understand its uses at all, — so until the world has 
felt the power of a true spiritual reaching out into 
the universe for universal benefits for the unselfish 
needs of all mankind, it must go on in ignorance of 
the true life and prayer and receive only the kind of 
answers that the prayer can bring. Nothing from 
nothing leaves nothing! 

But when we find mere form drifting away on the 
seas of time and men awaken to the consciousness of 
spiritual baptism that comes from purity of thought, 



OF MEDIUM SHIP 131 

that comes from a desire for the welfare of all, with- 
out an atom of personal selfishness or wish for per- 
sonal gain, when this is felt, and when the world 
reaches this condition when man shall realize he is 
living in the great ethereal love of God's great pulsat- 
ing heart, when man knows he is calling upon the 
higher sources for the advance of his own spiritual 
welfare of all mankind, when he sees before his 
vision like a revelation of life all the power that flows 
from the spiritual sources for spiritual unfoldment, 
then the bars that are stronger than prison bars — 
the bars of selfishness that have confined his spiritual 
faculties — those bars will be broken and his spirit 
will leap from within its little dwelling place to the 
heights of life where he may see the great picture of 
life, and sense the great soul magnet whose waves of 
love and truth are so powerful that he is lifted into a 
closer union, and realizes a larger power for unself- 
ishness, a greater knowledge of love and tenderness 
that harmonizes within himself from these beautiful 
conditions. 

Prayer will fall as the windfall from the apple trees 
when these grand truths have been unveiled from 
darkness and prayer will be known as the greatest 
blessing, as the guardian angel that will guard and 
guide thee most tenderly; then there will be no more 
inquiries, no more questions as to the use and benefit 
of prayer, but mankind being freed from error, un- 



132 THE DIVINE GIFT 

folded to larger and stronger beings, realize the 
flower of purity that has unfolded within their life, 
and know that its perfume will penetrate every ma- 
terial organism, and that every soul will be seen, and 
known and treasured by all who come in touch with 
the ennobled beings. 

This is the prayer of God. This is the connecting 
link between you and the Deific self and these are the 
great waves of spirit power that live in all space and 
are the Deific principles and properties of the whole 
universe. This is the law of cause and effect, of 
asking and receiving. 

This unveils all the mysteries in man's life. This 
answers all questions in man's life. This has inter- 
blended the avenues of his own spirit life in its ascen- 
sion to the fountain of souls that is flowing, har- 
moniously singing the sweet, love songs of the 
angels. Then will no more questions be asked about 
prayer — it will be seen and known for what it has 
proven itself to be — and for what it is known to ac- 
complish. 

It stands as a thing of purity — it is the open gate- 
way through which messages come that stimulate 
and uplift the spirituality — it is a controlling influ- 
ence in your life. This will be seen as a spiritual 
vision by all who have opened their spiritual eyes, 
and will be felt by all who have opened their spir- 
itual faculties, their character will be known for its 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 133 

spiritual unfoldment, it will be seen as the beautiful 
gateway of the soul-self that has been the asker of 
heavenly realities, it will be known as the true peti- 
tioner of prayer. The interblending of such lives for 
such noble truths will make the universe a likeness of 
the celestial spheres. This was the first prayer of 
man — and now we have reached the height where it 
is the prayer of the universe — the prayer of angels 
bowing in reverence to God the creator of all life, 
all being — that has baptized all things with his love 
and his purity. 



OF MEDIUM-SHIP 135 



CHAPTER IX. 



LOVE. 



Love is a universal principle that lives in all the 
phases and expressions of life — its source is God, to 
whom we refer as Love! 

To deal justly with this subject it is necessary to 
refer to the laws of life as they reveal themselves in 
the material, mental, and spiritual expressions, and 
in this consideration we must be most charitable 
and kind so far as the mistakes and shortcomings 
are concerned, for we find in every human being 
many qualities of love, and different degrees and man- 
ifestations of this principle according to the individ- 
ual temperament and development. 

There is the spiritual love which reaches out into 
the universe of life to all living souls, and which has 
justice and kindness in its brotherly and sisterly un- 
selfishness and there is the opposite of this in the 
selfishness that would claim all benefits for self, 



136 THE DIVINE GIFT 

and gather in for personal use whatever there is in 
life that seems desirable for individual use and com- 
fort. 

The person who dwells only in the materialistic 
phase of life accepts the material standard in all 
things, and has not awakened to the spiritual sig- 
nificance of any of the great moving principles of 
life that have their origin in love. Their mentality 
is material, so it is impossible for them to conceive 
of anything that pertains to life, except in a very 
limited and narrow way. The higher impulses are 
stifled and obstructed, therefore their material, sel- 
fish lives cannot be sweetened and illumined by the 
life principle that is of itself beauty and light. There 
is much that is destructive that has come through 
such people — the innocent suffer at their hands, for 
this is the natural result that comes from the malic- 
ious, the selfish, the ignorant, when associated with 
the spiritual love which is purity, and can only 
mean sadness to both who are concerned. 

There is another step down the ladder of life 
which is more serious, more sad, than this of the 
merely selfish element, and that is the one in which 
we find the person has fallen so far below the nar- 
row, selfish love that he is isolated from even that 
expression, and becomes within himself a monster, 
incapable of appreciating anything in life that is 
elevating or refining, and having known only sel- 



OF MEDIUM-SHIP 137 

fishness and the disillusions of the material ideals, 
after losing sight of even the chance of selfish gain, 
grasps at lust and calls this love — which is the 
greatest insult that could be brought to this divine 
life. 

We find this creature with no love for anything 
of an upward tendency, with no love for even their 
own development, no love for the furtherance of 
any cause of righteousness, no love for growth, no 
love for anything higher than the condition in which 
they have fallen by their own acts, and by their own 
acts they have welded their heart on the anvil of 
their own injustice so it has become too hard for 
any love that may exist on any higher plane of life 
than the one they are living in. 

Let us look at the truer expressions as we reach 
out into the grand universe of life and love, for we 
find that in its principle love is the purest element 
that exists. It is the beautiful life that moves the 
whole universe. 

Wherever there is love in the soul of man, then 
are his highest aspirations carried out, for he rec- 
ognizes the spirituality of his own being, and thus 
finds the highest element the soul is heir to. This 
is the great fountain that flows through the men- 
tality and permeates the whole life with the ele- 
ments that compose its own life — it means the up- 
ward tendency of all souls, the expression of all 



138 THE DIVINE GIFT 

that is good and true. If at any time this love spirit 
feels the need of support, of being sustained and 
strengthened to larger possibilities of life it reaches 
out into the universe to draw to itself from that 
beautiful fountain from God's ever-flowing and 
everlasting source of love, that will refresh and re- 
plenish and baptize your own spirituality with a 
larger, deeper, stronger, fuller understanding, fuller 
knowledge, greater wisdom and higher love to just 
that degree of beauty and charity that the individ- 
ual can receive and is able to radiate it to all souls 
that it may be felt by all friends and associates as a 
love for truth, a love for justice, a love for right, a 
love to lift upward all who are lower down, and 
bring them to a realization of the power and glory 
of Love. 

This love element, as we find it in the universe, 
seems to cement the very atoms of life — it is a part 
of every building process, it is the magnet of all 
attractions, it is the great force in the movement of 
the solar systems, of all the agitations of mankind, 
of every thought that brings new methods of work, 
it is the life of all that is beautiful in art, in poetry, 
in industry, in anything that is ennobling and for 
the welfare of the world. 

It is the greatest defense of life, for it is the pro- 
tecting power that exists; it is the spirit of mercy 
for those less unfolded in the true expressions, and 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 139 

in the consciousness of every individual speaks 
sooner or later and leads him into the truth and 
the wisdom of all that is good. 

Oh, that the spiritual faculties could be opened 
to see these spiritual guides of the affections ! But 
man has so turned his back on the spiritual and 
maintained only the material that he has ignored 
his own best self, and lost his opportunities for 
greater happiness through his selfish loves, his love 
of wealth, his selfish love of power, his love to build 
monuments that are of this world, his love of mas- 
tery over the ignorant has made his life cold and 
dark and distressed and destructive. But if he could 
only be awakened to the true element of spirituality 
that his eyes could behold love, if he could see this 
as it permeats every portion of life, and remolds it 
into beauty, and sweetens it with the untiring, eter- 
nal love elements, then he would forsake the selfish 
love, and soar out into the universe and become at 
peace and know the happiness that the heights pour in 
upon his soul. This is a love that never forsakes 
you; it is your protector, your adviser, the beauti- 
ful angel of light and truth and wisdom that can 
lead you out from the densest darkness into the ra- 
diant pathway that leads you upward to the heights 
of purity and truth. When you feel this love rush- 
ing over you, when this fills you, then the master 
minds are inspiring you to the unfoldment of your 



140 THE DIVINE GIFT 

own love character, and this is the highest type of 
love that can live in the heart of man. This will 
ever shine forth and radiate your face as you meet 
your brother man and sister woman, as you give 
your protecting hand to the unfortunate and reach 
out to the little children who are wandering, un- 
cared for, and gather them into a more favorable 
condition. This love travels from mind to mind 
and touches the soul. It plants its seed in the heart 
of every man and woman and springs up into pre- 
cious flower ten-fold in loveliness. From this will 
come understanding — and you will draw all men 
unto you. Some will wonder, some will misunder- 
stand, and some will understand for their spiritual 
sense has felt that love element as they grope to- 
ward the light and power that may illumine and sus- 
tain them in their dark hours. 

Let this thought of love and purity sink deep in 
your consciousnessness and find its lodging place 
and live with you. This is the balancing power that 
always advises you aright. It places you on a seat 
of justice and makes you just. You listen to the 
still small voice of love that speaks in your soul, 
and you respond with the harmonious tones that 
key themselves to all that is sweet and enduring. 
Love is characterized by delicacy and all that is 
etheral in appearance, yet its power is inconceivable. 

I ask you here tonight to join hands in express- 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 141 

ing this spiritual conception of love that it may be 
born anew to earth, that we may gather from the 
unseen teachers the inspiration to treasure love in 
its purity and beauty and frangrance; that we shall 
hold it in our grasp that its essence of love elements 
nourish us, that its light will shine in our darkness, 
and its life accompany us in our loneliness, that we 
may give this to the world that the war of ignor- 
ance (not made by God, but by the ignorance of 
man) may be quelled and that peace may result; 
and that light and life and power will force its way 
into every condition, and that the ignorant souls 
living in the worldly passions may be permeated 
with the diviner impulses and see the destruction 
that comes of selfishness. 

This is the most merciful truth that could be con- 
sidered by human souls. May the angel of love 
chisel its way through the hardened conditions of 
material life and with its arrow sharpened with 
tender love, pierce the hearts of all such that they 
may bleed at the revelation of such disaster, and 
may turn and be face to face with the angel of love 
who shall point the way to the universal expression 
of the love elements that there may be growth and 
unfoldment and wisdom; — that those lonely, dark- 
ened souls may start on their pathway with hearts 
lifted to the truth, and though the hill be hard to 
climb they shall find palms of victory waving along 



142 THE DIVINE GIFT 

their journey, and at last discern the beckoning 
hands of the angels of love in this earth life, that 
are showing them the way to higher impulses and 
more ennobling love, until at the end of the journey 
they see the heights and can gaze on the fountain 
of love, whose pure waters are baptizing the world 
and cleansing every atom from the solar spheres 
to the planet earth — this love that holds in its em- 
brace all that is of eternal truth and goodness. 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 143 



CHAPTER X. 



THE VOICE OF SILENCE. 

We are standing at the gateway of Heaven listen- 
ing with our spiritual consciousness to the voice of 
silence, the voice of the universe. We have now 
entered into the silence which is immeasurable, in- 
conceivable in all its manifestations. It is the 
throbbing of God's love in the spiritual conscious- 
ness of every soul, both seen and unseen, in the 
universe. 

That which is expressed only by the material 
voice are the external things of life, usually express- 
ing the superficial things and thus are limited in their 
expression as these do not harmonize spiritually 
with the great voice of silence. 

As we surge out into the mighty deeps of silence 
we drift out into the breadths of unlimited life that 
expresses itself for higher spirituality through the 
transmission of the truth of the soul. The voice of 



144 THE DIVINE GIFT 

silence is mighty in its power because it carries with 
it the universal spirit of life that not only expresses 
itself in man, but lives in every manifestation of 
life. Its expression is so refined, so sensitive, so 
luminous that it is filled and illumined by the radia- 
tions of the highest expression of all life and power 
that the materialist does not understand nor see, 
and is, therefore, ignorant of it, and so he lives in 
the shadow of life instead of in its wonderful light. 

He is living in the weaker side, the negative con- 
dition of life, and is thus limited in all of his con- 
ceptions, and has only that which the earth offers 
without the interblending of the spirituality that is 
spoken by the voice that has never been heard by 
the mortal ear of man, for it speaks with the still 
small voice in the language of Deity to the soul. 

This expressive voice and its beautiful tone, un- 
heard except in the silence of spirit, has been the 
causation of all material existence, yet man has not 
received its true life, not become powerful through 
it because he has not opened the gateway of heaven 
to himself, which is the gateway of his own spiritu- 
ality out from his material self, and so has drawn 
the line that severs himself from that which feeds 
every living thing that ever was created, and he 
continues to live under the influence of the past 
interpretations of his earthly heritage. 

We would call his attention to the limitless con- 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 145 

ditions, not with the voice of censure, but with the 
language of love that we may open his conscious- 
ness to hear the music that is ever vibrating in the 
universe, by the voice that ever speaks throughout 
immensity, and is in harmony with the angels of the 
higher life, that he, too, may sense with his spiritual 
faculties the vibrations that are ever reaching out 
through the great universe, permeating and pene- 
trating all materialism, that it may awaken the soul 
to receive this divine harmony and become attuned 
to its sweet, melodious wisdom. 

These vibrations are but evidences of this voice 
that is not spoken by material tongue. Its great 
waves are carried through the world and felt by all 
sensitives and interpreted by all souls capable of 
receiving the silent language of life that not only is 
guiding the great onward movements of progres- 
sion, but is holding the planets in their orbits and 
encircling your own physical organism by the radia- 
tions of the soul, that each one may be brought in 
harmony with the spirituality of his own being. 
This attunement means the at-one-ment with the 
great life that you may find in its immensity every- 
thing your intelligence is capable of receiving. 

Thus we find that the voice of silence is not a 
plastic voice of the material vocal organs, or a lan- 
guage spoken to suit the narrowness of a one-sided 
life. It is that great voice of justice, it is that great 



146 THE DIVINE GIFT 

voice of power, it is that great voice of love with its 
tender ethereal breath that is wafted out in the uni- 
verse to you and to me. It is the most powerful 
because it gives us the highest conception of life. 
It cannot be heard by the material ear, but as we 
reach out into the universe of silence can we not 
sense our spiritual consciousness reaching out into 
the wonderful expansiveness of life? Do we not 
find ourselves forgetting self, losing self-conscious- 
ness, as it were, and with the awakening of self to 
its true consciousness find ourselves coming back, 
coming back — coming back to the soul center which 
has been out into the great unseen to commune in 
this silence when material voices are not heard and 
all utterance is still. It is in this stillness, in this 
quietude of life, when you find yourself alone with 
yourself, that God is consciously present and 
throughout the ages has repeated the command: 
"Be still and know that I am God!" 

Under these conditions you find yourself rising 
to the heights within you. You find your soul ris- 
ing because you have closed the natural portals and 
opened the portals of silence, and you hear, as if 
whispered from the distance, this voice of gentle- 
ness as it speaks softly to you. You may think at 
first because of its very gentleness that you mis- 
interpret it, but it is always the strongest that is the 
most refined, it is the most powerful that is the 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 147 

most ethereal, it is the most persuasive because it 
is the most loving, for it is only through love that 
you can win any real victory, and in the silence of 
that hour, and in the presence of yourself can you 
not assert the strongest love that has ever been 
asserted? You find that through the law of attrac- 
tion when you have sent that thought of love you 
are drawing back to yourself tenfold of all you gave, 
and in that silence of eternal life you have sent your 
highest love a messenger and you receive what 
speaks in the very soul of man. 

As a man thinketh, so is he! Man has been think- 
ing too long through the avenues of the negative 
condition of the material life. He has been thinking 
too long and building too many idols of material 
construction which sooner or later must fall before 
his vision. He has with pleasure and ambition built 
them because he has been ignorant of the result of 
such labor. To him they are the most beautiful 
idols he can conceive of, and he has hewed it as a 
sculptor would hew with chisel and hammer, stroke 
upon stroke, watching his idol take shape and ex- 
pression, molding and forming, year after year, and 
when he is nearly ready to bow down and worship 
the work of his hands, his idol falls before his gaze 
and he finds himself stunned and staggered by the 
calamity, for he thought it was going to be some- 
thing his selfish life would always have to worship, 



148 THE DIVINE GIFT 

that in this he would always find it a wonderful 
work, but in its fall his dreams are shattered, and 
he, too, is almost dashed down on the rocks of such 
disaster, to find himself awakened from his dream 
of material purposes, haunted by the disillusions of 
the past, he opens his eyes to behold the worthlessness 
of his idol, and after suffering the penality of his 
own ignorance, he totters to a resting place and 
there sits alone with the voice of silence that at last 
he must listen to. Out of this great unseen he finds 
the restorative that is ever penetrating and per- 
meating the life elements with vigor and with power, 
illumining every experience, and in the quietude of 
the silence, away from the clatter of materialism, he 
reviews the situation. He has learned his lesson. 
He has tasted of the fruits of good and of evil. He 
sees both sides of life. He has opened his spiritual 
consciousness humbly and meekly to the great laws 
of life that solve every question. Here he is fed by 
that everlasting food that lives throughout eternity. 
Here he is nourished as a mother would nourish her 
child, and out of this silence he is led by the voice 
of the soul and is filled with wisdom and love, and 
he realizes that he has been corrected by the princi- 
ples of life in Nature, and he follows the light that 
radiates from the silence, and in place of the tears 
and distress, there is now gladness and rejoicing as 
he looks back on his fallen idol and knows its worth- 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 149 

lessness. His lessons learned in sadness are as 
jewels placed upon a string, now shining forth from 
the unseen life to be possessed by his own conscious- 
ness. Now they are as beacon lights — and he bows 
in reverence to the angel of silence that revealed 
his true treasures, and he joins with this angel in 
thanksgiving to the great giver of all light that is 
capable of giving all human souls all that is needed 
and all that can be conceived of, and bring to that 
soul that has found the beautiful, radiant gateway 
of silence, heaven on earth. Thus he has become a 
spirit in mortal form, a spiritual man, not lost in 
ignorance and superstition, but found in the glory 
of eternal wisdom and light — bathed in this foun- 
tain of silence that flows to all mankind. This voice 
of silence thrills every heart. Then are the ques- 
tions answered, not by the voice of man in the ma- 
terialistic world, but answered by that glorious voice 
of silence that speaks in the heart and soul of all 
who are led to seek it. This beautiful fountain is 
ever flowing with love and spirituality and truth. 
It is ever stimulating man with justice, with sincerity 
of purpose, with firmness to stand for right, with 
fearlessness for truth; it is never shattered nor 
jarred by the opinion of the world; it is never influ- 
enced by the demons of the materialistic conditions, 
hut firmer than steel forged by the smith, welded by 
the silences of life, it has been molded and formed 



150 THE DIVINE GIFT 

into wisdom ; it is born in the deeps of the conscious- 
ness soothed by the bosom of love of Deific princi- 
ple that always speaks and is manifested in the 
golden hour of silence. 

Thus the erring one conquered over death. Thus 
he was victorious over material conditions and be- 
came universal in principle, saved, not lost — be- 
cause he found himself! 

He became the highest type of humanity, made 
and attuned to harmony, fitted to live and play his 
part in the great symphony of the universe. All 
has been accomplished by the great giver, the great 
molder, by the great power of the voice that speaks 
only as the voice of silence. This is the voice heard 
by the angels as they respond in harmony and sing 
the praises of the Infinite wisdom. These universal 
melodies will throb in the hearts of every individual. 
These principles never die, but grow larger, nobler, 
stronger, kinder because of their ever-living, ever- 
lasting divine qualities of truth and love. 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 151 



CHAPTER XL 



THE UNKNOWN. 

Almighty God of the Universe, Thou art here and 
everywhere. We are a part of Thee, and Thou art 
a part of us. 

Tonight we launch our bark on the great unknown 
that we have here opened our spiritual consciousness 
to, that we might have more knowledge of thy life. We 
have closed the door of our material life because we 
realize the limited possibilities of this physical life 
and we would harmonize the mental and the soul self 
which is the great light between our consciousness 
and the great light that has been unknown to the 
materialist who is absorbed by the earth life. 

We find ourselves being uplifted into a brighter, 
yet softer illumination where all is light and life — 
where there is no darkness, but one eternal day. We 
find ourselves under these conditions harmonizing 
with this great light of the universe. We find our 



152 THE DIVINE GIFT 

hearts throbbing with its glowing and glorifying 
radiance which fills all souls. We awaken to a 
greater realization of our oneness with all life, and 
we look back to review the hours that have been 
passed in the earthly journeyings and we find that 
all have been as a great lesson. There is nothing to 
look back upon that is arbitrary and given by author- 
ity, nothing to look back upon that can compare with 
what we are receiving, but that we may comprehend 
and to better realize that we are a part of the unpro- 
gressed life, and with this knowledge of the great 
processes of the everlasting life and everlasting love 
we can understand how we have found our way up 
through the thicket and are standing in the universal 
light, love, and truth of all that the experiences in 
life mean for us. 

This review is but to awaken us to see with keener 
vision, and to realize the great unknown and to sense 
the great refinement of its delicacy and beauty. Even 
though it has been thought to be so ethereal by the 
inquiring minds of earth, yet it is more tangible in 
every respect than the earth life. 

We find ourselves surrounded by the beauties of 
this wonderful garden of the heights where in the 
unfolding of flowers we find them not as they appear 
in the earthly life, but far more progressed, and such 
is their phase of life and stage of existence that these 
flowers are formed as beautiful faces that are thus 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 153 

molded by the all-wise plan of Deity through the 
change and interchange of elements, and by the pro- 
gression in this form of life that exists for the flow- 
ers, they have attained a condition far more perfect 
than any of their expressions in the material life. 
There is intelligence in their beautiful faces, and as 
you look closely there comes to you a recognition in 
the smile they give you, and their fragrance goes out 
to all who love it and who express their love for the 
flower, because of their intelligence they have full 
control of their life, and they radiate beauty in just 
the way they are experiencing the great law of life 
and of those in harmony with it. 

This type of life is not living without progression. 
We speak as we see, we speak as we know, and yet 
this is unknown to many thousands and who dis- 
believe the revelations that come through the 
sources of light and truth. In the presence of God 
and the angels we declare this that we now behold. 

In this beautiful garden of this sphere we find that 
the birds are more beautiful in their plumage, more 
intelligent in their life because they, too, have pro- 
gressed up from more material conditions to this 
spiritual expression; they have sung their praises to 
Deity so sweetly when man has been in need of their 
thrilling notes, and so he has been lifted out of sad- 
ness by their songs in the forest, and many a soul 
has taken courage and inspiration from these little 



154 THE DIVINE GIFT 

messengers of the infinite love, and has found his 
way into the universal harmonies through the melo- 
dies poured forth from the soul of the bird. 

We find them intelligent, and manifesting love, 
harmonizing their lives together in unison with the 
great symphony of life, responding to the call of 
Deific law, ready to respond to us when we request 
their music, giving their thoughts to human souls, 
and still singing the praise of Deity, still singing the 
laws of life and manifesting their beautiful adaptation 
in the great universal order of life. 

The birds and the flowers are loved and under- 
stood by the souls in this sphere, as together the_y 
progress in harmonious interblending of love and 
wisdom. 

We find the trees have an existence here. This is 
not a barren life — it is a life of color and music and 
verdure more beautiful than any material expression, 
for it is spiritual — the progressed spirituality of that 
which has lived on earth and has ascended in ethereal 
essences to become a part of the great unknown. 

The trees have been a welcome refreshment to 
mankind in their toil and heat of the day, and the 
shade of the leaf-covered branches has been an im- 
portant part of their mission in life. But that is not 
all, as you may have thought when these leaves have 
fallen and nature has sunk into the stillness and sleep 
of the changing season, and their sturdy forms decay 



OF MEDIUMS-HIP 155 

and break down as the years of storm and sun beat 
upon them. They have become worn out from their 
toil and labor — and die — but they are not lost; we 
find the spiritual expression goes on just the same, 
and in the higher spheres has become more beauti- 
ful, more refreshing, more graceful, its waving 
branches in harmony with the great unseen life of 
Deity, a harmony with the great souls who are pass- 
ing by and linger in the soft shadow of their trans- 
parent foliage. 

Thus we find all the forms of life that have pro- 
gressed through the material uses, for their spiritual 
essences live on and on. 

There is no death! All is life! We are surrounded 
with these beautiful refreshments of form and color 
and melody, and their delicacy thrills and feeds our 
lives, and makes a more perfect harmonization in 
every form of life. The flowers, the grasses, the 
trees, the waters, and the landscapes, the birds and 
the atmospheres, all that we find, all that we meet, 
all that we see, reveal the perfect harmony that is 
never marred by discord, because through Time and 
the great law of life everything has unfolded these 
beauties and these melodies, your soul has grown 
into its nobler expression, and discord has gravitated 
to its lower plane there to play its educating part 
until it is wholly outgrown — for there is no oppor- 
tunity in this sphere for anything to enter or to exist 



156 THE DIVINE GIFT 

that is not harmonious. All this beauty fills your 
whole consciousness, and you find it impossible to 
ask for anything more — yet there is still the inner 
burning love in your breast for still more knowl- 
edge, still the onward movement to add more power, 
still more strength, still more activity, still more life 
to the great universe of life, for you are a part of it, 
and as you become more advanced in all your won- 
derful manifestations are you not adding to the 
wheels of life that are turning and turning ever on- 
ward, and becoming ever stronger because of the 
great responsibility that you play, that is your part 
in the universe? You do not forget the souls left 
behind. !Your own lessons in this first experience 
are ever before you, not because of their sadness, 
not because of their disappointments, but because 
through these wonderful lessons given you by ex- 
perience you have gained your life, your character, 
your glorification, your freedom. God's love is lim- 
itless in all its possibilities, and because of this you 
turn and think backward to the life of earth, and 
you can know and remember your hours of wan- 
dering in darkness and ignorance, your uncertainties 
and your mistakes, and you sense the suffering that 
comes from those limited conditions that were the 
environments of your ancestry because of the past 
teachings of material life — that were of earth and 
not of spirit — and as you now know the truth, and 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 157 

so your soul reaches down to your brother man and 
sister woman and you realize the sacredness of the 
life living in them, you realize that each one is a 
soul entity, their light dimmed only because of the 
material density around them, their expression re- 
stricted because of the small space that confines 
them, the ignorance that keeps the soul in slavery 
because it is not privileged to exercise its own beau- 
tiful rights, and so you desire to become a greater 
power — not for self, but as a great and wonderful 
magnet of spirituality, and with hands outstretched 
to the suffering you send a ray from your own soul 
that reaches the hearts of men and they feel a spirit- 
ual unrest, a desire for more knowledge of that 
which is beyond the grave. You are not standing 
alone, but thousands of souls on that same plane 
with you are working with you, not in sadness but 
in gladness and in the glory of truth. 

Thus you are glorified as you work to lift up 
those lower down, and advance that part of life in 
Deity. Your assistance is needed in all these ex- 
pressions and you are a part of God and the heights 
of life because you have been molded and formed 
by deeds and acts that are inspired by love of truth, 
and in this you are helped by those still higher and 
you go on in your own soul's progression in the 
discharge of your duties in universal life. 
In every sphere you find life a great stage, and 



158 THE DIVINE GIFT 

you have your part to play, and as you are in har- 
mony with yourself you are in harmony with your 
loved ones, in harmony with the angels who have 
gone on still higher. . . . 

We can see from the heights a light that shows 
itself as a jewel of indescribable brightness glowing 
with life, the symbol of a great center of powerful 
radiations — even then as a jewel cut in a most artis- 
tic form, almost inconceivable, inexpressible, as it 
throbs and pulsates with all the eternal principles 
of life — yet my spirit consciousness is open to this 
great vision, this wonderful revelation of the soul 
center of the heights, this mighty concentration of 
power, whose rays are too penetrating to be re- 
sisted by any formation. Language cannot explain 
this grandeur and beauty and power. The material 
understanding is not conscious of this spiritual ex- 
pression. Here I see thousands of arisen souls 
bowing in reverence to this great illuminating life- 
giving power — and among those near this soul cen- 
ter there is one whose characteristics and bearing 
seems to me from all appearances to be Jesus — 
bowing humbly to this luminous radiance, within 
this life center, so beautiful in all its effects, intelli- 
gent beyond my comprehension or any man's un- 
derstanding. This intelligence searches into every 
portion of life, and every form of life — its light is 
felt in the very soul of all life, in all entities, and all 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 159 

souls on every plane, its sight can penetrate 
throughout every sphere (for it is as the eye of the 
whole universe), its vision is limitless, and matter 
cannot obstruct its rays. Within this great soul 
center is known all the workings of life from the 
lowest form, and the darkened condition to the 
highest development, because this is the great 
center of spirit. I see no personal God — but this 
light as the fountain of truth and love. It is re- 
freshing to all mankind. It is upbuilding to all 
mankind. It is the great life that attracts all things 
unto itself in its own likeness and spirituality. It 
is the life that lives in all forms of material life. It 
is the causation of all existence in every sphere, 
every manifestation — and every expression and 
manifestation is a part of this great life. 

While I have been speaking I have been told by 
this wonderful character, Jesus, that it is impossible 
to know the real inner working, the real inner ex- 
pression, the real inner essence of this great center, 
but that I was privileged and blessed with this op- 
portunity to express all that is possible now, from 
what I saw, and from what I sense, and from what 
I know, and that the blessing revealed from this 
vision will be a new book, a new ray of truth, a 
new thought in life for the salvation and the re- 
deeming of more lives from superstition and from 



160 THE DIVINE GIFT 

the enslavement that is the result of material den- 
sity and ignorance. 

As we turn to mankind in the earth life, we would 
say in all love, and all charity, and all reverence to 
the most humble one struggling alone, even to those 
held by conditions seemingly unbearable and be- 
yond human endurance, well may you turn your 
faces to truth and smile — not because of your pres- 
ent suffering, but because of the great work it is 
doing in your life. It is hewing and breaking down 
conditions that have been gathering for years in 
your life, conditions more powerful than could ever 
be molded by muscle and sinew of man, and be- 
cause of this power of inner experience you are hew- 
ing your way, and forming your conscious-self until 
the light within will be touched more powerfully by 
this light above from the soul center, and your own 
life will be liberated and will shine forth and will 
be free to act naturally, and kindly, and normally, 
and intelligently, and will respond to this great law 
of life because of its own birthright of freedom, be- 
cause of its own privilege to play its part of life, 
because it is of power and is a part of the great soul 
life that is the same in principle yet differing in in- 
dividual expression. You are ever cutting in your 
own life that wonderful gem that radiates in a 
small degree in likeness to the one we have beheld 
in the spiritual sphere. 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 161 

Thus you may work intelligently, diligently, and 
patiently, and hopefully, bravely bearing the bur- 
dens that seem so heavy, and are yet so small in the 
eternity of life. Man allows such pitifully little 
things to play such an important part in his mate- 
rial existence that bows in sadness and sits down in 
distress and becomes materialistic in his opinions, 
and superstitious in his beliefs, that he shows him- 
self weaker than the flower that in the garden of 
life pushes its roots deeper for sustenance, and gath- 
ers strength to force its way upward to the light 
and beauty of the atmospheric needs, and even then 
thrust out its thorns in self-protection that it may 
flower in its natural loveliness and fulfil its des- 
tiny despite wind and storm. 

Man is given an individuality that he may act 
independently and live naturally. If this were not 
so, he would be only as the flower and perish at 
the end of the season — even then to exist in the 
chemistry of nature without the immortality of con- 
sciousness. But as man is an individual he must 
act as an individual, he must be allowed his free- 
dom even if he wanders afar or sits down by the 
wayside in despair, before his awakening comes, be- 
fore this power from on high reaches down and 
touches his life with its beam of light — then he 
turns to the heights to look for the source of this 
warmth and illumination that has kindled a new 



162 THE DIVINE GIFT 

life within his consciousness, and he sees that light 
is from the height where billions of his brother men 
have found their way, led by the lessons that were 
their steps up the steep ways of their experience, 
and that from their elevation and unfoldment are 
sending to him a life force that will arouse him to 
action until he step by step climbs up the path 
that leads to the higher expression. Then he in 
turn finds his way back to the earth plane that he 
may disperse some of the darkness in the lives of 
others, and strengthen those who are weak, and 
give truth to those who wander in error, and lead 
humanity onward to true spirituality that they may 
lift their heads and raise their eyes to the heights 
and behold the vision from the unknown. Thus is 
mankind touched by the unseen; thus are they 
inspired by divine love ; thus are they attracted up- 
ward — and the seed you have sowed — you shall find 
as you retrace your steps backward — has become a 
refreshing, up-building, strengthening, sustaining 
force in some life, and you will better understand 
how out from this unknown, this unseen, from these 
heights, the master teachers, the great souls work 
for the redemption of humanity, that all men and 
all women may stand in their position as they ad- 
vance in the universal order of Infinite life. 

Thus we pass onward, yet ever backward, strug- 
gling for the heights, then downward to the sad- 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 163 

dened mortals who in the silence are touched by 
those from the Unknown, inspired and kindled by 
love from the unseen, penetrated by the ray of light 
that enters their darkness, and from the soul center 
of all life receive the illumination that will ever 
light their pathway and lead them ever upward to 
higher and higher expressions. 

When this light touches a sensitive its revelation 
is spontaneous, and such an individual grows more 
in harmony, kinder, more loving, nobler, more in one- 
ness with the great center of life that is made by your 
soul and mine. 

If we listen closely we can almost hear from the 
great throbbing heart of humanity the pounding 
and the beating, the pulsating of life through the 
material organism that is working unconsciously in 
man's consciousness, unconsciously when man is 
going downward, yet in spite of the decline he is in 
reality on the way to progression, for he needs the 
lesson that prepares him for his awakening, and 
that will turn his face to grandeur, and larger and 
more beautiful truths that he will find in the silence 
and in the unknown. He will then listen from his 
own soul center, and hear as we hear the clicking 
and the working and the struggling of the inner 
life the expanding of the Deific elements in the soul 
of man. So his mental faculties awaken through 
this great spiritual lesson of his own life, and of 



164 THE DIVINE GIFT 

the marvelous reconstructing forces that in the soul 
life of humanity sounds to us as a quarry where 
through noise and gases and explosions and chis- 
eling the children of earth are cut into the immortal 
forms that are in likeness to Deity. 

Do not despair! You are working in the quarry 
of your own life, and out of its mistakes, out of its 
short-comings, out of its inequalities, out of its sad- 
nesses, out of its trials, out of its desolate hours, out 
of its despair, you are working to hew out the living 
image, you are cutting away the coarse things of 
life, you are relieving the soul of its material con- 
fines — though even that very materiality was nec- 
essary to refine your life, and make these processes 
possible, that you may arise in freedom to inherit 
some day this life called unknown. It is unknown 
to the materialist who is building his character in 
granite denseness of earthly compositions and de- 
sires, it is not found alone in the ignorant or the un- 
fortunate, but ofttimes in those who are regarded as 
the world's authorities, men and women of learning, 
of position, of influence, those who are honored and 
whose judgment is respected as a very judge of 
judges, to whom this world gropes and turns be- 
cause of their material or intellectual attainments. 

By these thousands are led from the true goal be- 
cause of their so-called position and education, their 
scientific researches, their classic institutions, and 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 165 

the consideration bestowed upon them by those less 
learned. 

Let us find this enlightenment which has come 
like a lesson from the unknown. It is absolutely 
necessary that we find the light that will lighten us 
still further into the unknown, that we shall go on- 
ward still further, and hear still more of God's mel- 
odies of love and wisdom as it flows from the 
heights, that we may become finer instruments to 
hear and see and know and live, and find our own 
life pulsations beating in harmony with the master 
teachers, even as the Nazarene, may we be in- 
spired to know what has been conceded to be un- 
knowable. 

We shall find what man cannot give or take 
away from us, we shall attain that which cannot 
be bought or sold. We shall gain that freedom to 
hear and see and know these wonderful truths that 
are free to all who live in the spirituality of their 
own being. We can adjust our lives while here 
with the spiritual vibrations of the higher expres- 
sions, and we can so love spiritual truth and har- 
mony that we need never allow the material condi- 
tions to restrict our souls or fetter our individual- 
ism. We can so treasure the forms that are the 
homes of our immortality that we may never be un- 
just to our physical expression or break the laws 
which are the wisdom of our beings, but so live, 



166 THE DIVINE GIFT 

so love this mortal temple that when we lay it 
down, and no longer need it, we put it aside in 
thanksgiving for its perfect adaptation to our needs, 
rejoicing in it as a beautiful garment that we have 
been privileged to wear here, that through it we 
could become an immortal soul formed into an in- 
dividual life — a life that is our own — our very own — 
with all the life principles, all the life privileges, all 
the life senses of all the faculties that can be at- 
tuned and harmonized to melodious utterances, and 
to the radiating of the gifts from the unknown. 

You find yourself glorified for you have endeav- 
ored to glorify your life by living in beauty and 
love, and have attracted this light to lighten the 
path of other souls. Its beauty deepens, and its 
radiations become yet more powerful, even as they 
are more delicate and spiritualized, and you now 
find yourself bowing in reverence to the source of 
your own life because of its victory, and because of 
its unfoldment, and its harmonization, and you ut- 
ter thanksgivings to the loved ones who worked 
with you for your salvation from darkness ; you 
rejoice with them. You have not bought your way, 
or rested idly on any one's bosom, but through sun- 
shine and rain, through tempest and through calm, 
through the turning and the surging of life's ways 
you have been molded by your own inner powers 
as they have struggled toward the radiant center, 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 167 

and you have made yourself what you are; not as 
humble servant do you bow to any one, but you 
raise your head to the great universe of all life, 
because through these principles you have won the 
harmonization of your higher self, and are living in 
the atmosphere of the unknown. Here music em- 
anates from all souls, and all of life's expressions. 
It is a living essence in the atmosphere, a great 
symphony not played by souls, but by the great 
spirit of that sphere are the melodious praises sent 
out into the vibrating harmonies of all life. 

The delicacy and beauty of that sphere is made 
by all that live in it. Even the flower that works 
its way upward is a part of the life and truth of 
God. All the beauties of vegetation, all the colors 
of changing light, radiate the truth of progression. 
The soul that has made its painful way is a part of 
the life that is sacred, for he understands that he 
has individualized his own character, allowing every 
characteristic of his whole being to express itself, so 
that he has not lost sight of self, but has unfolded, 
expanded to a beautiful realization of his real char- 
acteristics, of his every throb, and pulsation of his 
own self. This is one of the greatest truths in 
Nature that we can conceive of — the revelation of 
the unfoldment and individual realization that we 
discover in the unknown. 

While you are fulfilling your own characteriza- 



168 THE DIVINE GIFT 

tion, you are radiating all these elements in just 
the accord of your own characteristics, in express- 
ing them to others, and you also never lose one joy 
that has been a part of your own life. In this awak- 
ening of the entire consciousness you know yourself 
— you experience the life that has flowed in your 
being from the time you began the earthly expres- 
sion, — it is all yours, even the thrill of love that 
you as a babe sensed in your mother's arms when 
she sang her lullabies as you nestled against her 
breast, — you have not lost even that hour, not a 
moment, so clear is your own realization of your 
selfhood, and of the hours of forgotten childhood, — 
all these live in your unfoldment and you stand 
face to face with your own individuality as you are 
on the heights, and still have the inspiration in 
your own soul to go onward that you may find more 
wonderful, more enduring truths in the still un- 
known to you, that exists in eternity and still fur- 
ther on reveals that which reaches higher and higher 
into the far greater unknown — which will appear to 
you, as high above you as that tonight which seems 
unknown. This is progression in love and truth 
and in loyalty to yourselves and to each other. It 
is the light that always lives, leading you forever 
on, and you, as a progressive child, will bow as did 
the great Nazarene to this soul center, not in humil- 
ity, but in rejoicing, in reverence, and in love, — be- 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 169 

cause you find that your life always means such a 
process, such a wonderful molding power, such an 
unfoldment, such an advance, such a joy, such a 
light that it is unspeakable by human tongue, in- 
describable by human language. 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 171 



CHAPTER XII. 



THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE UNSEEN TO 
THE SEEN. 

We have entered into the silence through the avenue 
of our soul, we have illumined our mentality within 
the spiritual consciousness complying with Nature's 
laws as they manifest themselves in the material and 
the spiritual, that we may unfold some thought upon 
the subject of the Relationship of the Unseen to the 
Seen, that we may hereby gain some new expression 
and a better understanding that will be helpful to the 
lives of all who are seeking spiritual unfoldment. 

We look out into the unseen realizing the mighty 
force of life from the soul center. Here we sense 
the truth through our spiritual consciousness that 
spirit is the causation of matter. This reveals to us 
that all material forms of life have taken their form 
for the growth and unfoldment of the soul, that spirit 
may be individualized in the earthly expression. Thus 



172 THE DIVINE GIFT 

we find that spirit is the great Mother and Father 
God of all earthly forms and manifestations, that 
none should perish, but that all should be permitted 
to grow through the wisdom and Deity in this beau- 
tiful avenue that has been prepared and opened by 
that all-wise creative force that is constantly unfold- 
ing and growing and expanding into larger and 
greater and more beautiful expressions and manifes- 
tations in the universe of life. 

Thus we find that all earthly children are as beings 
in the first room in the school, preparing for the 
larger and higher classes of the next room of the 
unseen. In this school of life you are placed on your 
own resources that you may — and must — through 
your own personality, express both materially and 
spiritually and thus gain your own experience in your 
own individualization. It is necessary for each one 
to work out his own salvation. Although each one is 
overshadowed by higher, diviner minds of the un- 
seen, and though the love of these souls for their 
dear ones in earth brings their guardianship to them, 
— and also because they are talented instruments 
who can be used as a luminous force whereby the 
life elements of the unseen may shine through this 
physical instrument that the lesser intelligent souls 
may be assisted with their spiritual illumination, — 
each is placed on his own resources and must, 
through his own personality, both physically and 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 173 

spiritually, gain the individualization that of itself 
works out its own salvation. 

We find that those in the higher life, dwelling in 
the unseen, are ever loving and kind because they 
have grown nearer to the more perfect expression of 
Deity's life, being imbued with that love and life 
and light and charity and justice and tenderness that 
is ever reaching out to assist the children in the lower 
classes, as would the teachers in this life smile on the 
children in their guardianship, and with earnest love 
ever give the truest guidance and the best instruc- 
tion and the most helpful assistance that their pupils 
may advance and unfold mentally, morally, and 
physically. 

This illustrates one of the natural laws of life that 
even though wise assistance is always near, yet it is 
the pupil himself who determines his advance and 
attainments. This beautiful truth is ever (shining 
from the unseen that it may illuminate the minds of 
all mortals. It is a radiant force, — yet there are many 
souls in the earth life who are walking in the lower 
planes of materialism utterly ignorant of this beau- 
tiful relationship of the unseen to the seen. These 
individuals are standing in the shadow that is cast 
by their own ignorance which obscures the radiance 
that is ever shining and penetrating the darkness of 
material life. 

It is necessary for that soul to awaken and gain his 



174 THE DIVINE GIFT 

own light according to his earthly experience. It is 
through this that he must awaken to the spiritual. 
This is the principle of individualization, of unfold- 
ing one's own character, of being free to realize and 
to understand according to one's own capacity. Each 
one must experience his own growth according to the 
life elements of his constitution which were formed 
by conditions that existed at the time these life ele- 
ments were formed, and that gave him his nature, 
his character, and his own peculiar individuality — 
whereby all differ from each other, and therefore 
must have their own experience which is best adapted 
to their growth and in a sort of harmonious relation- 
ship to their requirements and their possibilities. 

Therefore it would not be well for the materialist 
on a low plane of life to suddenly behold the beauti- 
ful relationship of the unseen to the seen, for he 
must have the molding and forming influence of his 
own experience. These are absolutely necessary to 
him because of the condition of the life elements 
that surrounded him at the time of his formation, 
that through what may seem abnormal experiences, — ■ 
but which the philosopher knows to be normal, be- 
cause of the life elements that existed in his parent- 
age at the time he was conceived, — this individual 
must traverse the path which his own nature requires, 
and in a sense chooses. 

This emphasizes the necessity of charity for all 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 175 

mankind — by all of mankind — at all times and under 
all conditions, because no one can judge another soul 
or know of the life qualities or qualifications that 
enter his life as a fortunate or unfortunate heritage 
from ancestry and from environment. The soul, 
through its own life, must work out its freedom and 
its salvation. If conditions are unfavorable, then it 
becomes a struggle through sorrow, through labor, 
through sadness — falling, rising, struggling again, 
making a desperate attempt to gain the heights, and 
after this struggle, this courage, this brave ambition, 
after almost gaining what seemed a firm foundation 
of truth through this spiritual awakening, falls again, 
but rises with renewed endeavor to see more clearly, 
to remove the shadows, and through his own life to 
see the spirit which is ever illuminated by the light of 
truth which is ever shining from the unseen to the 
seen, and by which he is ever stimulated, made larger, 
conceiving of more light, more truth, so once again 
he gathers his forces and looks back upon his past 
life to find it has been a struggle with the things he 
no longer cares for or can ever use to his advantage. 
He then sees these as the ashes that have fallen from 
the cleansing fires of his own life, and looking to 
the heights he is inspired by the unseen, and by the 
souls of the unseen as they unite in a stronger force 
to help him. 

He senses this outpouring of life elements, and he 



176 THE DIVINE GIFT 

once more battles for the right, battles for the truth, 
battles for his own unfoldment, and rushes forth with 
power to win the victory. His own spirit leaps from 
the restricting conditions and seeks the unseen. He 
has sprung from the prison cell that was formed by 
the dross of physical imperfections, and he has 
gained a higher plane in the material life, this time 
to hold back the enemies that were of the past condi- 
tions that surrounded him at the time of his first 
formation — the effects of his heritage — and now he is 
held firm on the rock made by his own efforts to 
build upon a foundation of truth. 

He does not fail in this attempt because of the 
wonderful, artistic work that has been done in the 
throbbing and pulsating of the elements of his inner 
life, both spiritually and physically, that have formed 
this rock foundation at last — a foundation that will 
never fail him, but will hold him firm in his position 
upon the rock of his own spirituality. 

He has made this — it is his by the principle of his 
own birthright. 

He bows in reverence to the great spiritual law 
that radiates from the soul center of the universe, 
from the unseen to the seen. His spiritual conscious- 
ness has realized fully every step of the way of his 
progression from the time he was able to think and 
remember — even the sweet dreams of childhood and 
the good night kiss of his sainted mother. With this 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 177 

spiritual consciousness of the past life, with the knowl- 
edge of the beauty of it and the struggles of it, and of 
his battling for the right, he is enveloped in a still 
larger life still more illumined, still stronger, still 
more powerful, because of this conscious review of 
his unfoldment in the all-wise Deity's wonderful and 
beautiful laws, both material and spiritual through 
the unseen and the seen. 

His spiritual faculties are keen. His sensitive 
organism is so keenly attuned to the outworking of 
his own unfoldment he can sense the most delicate 
vibration. He now sees with his spiritual eyes, and 
knows with his spiritual faculties because of this 
growth and unfoldment, and this expansion of the 
soul. He is so attuned to the higher vibrations, so sen- 
sitive to the spiritual expressions that he senses the 
thrills of the loving music that is ever flowing from 
the unseen to the seen. Thus he yet awakens to still 
more truths in his own character. He finds that a 
beautiful instrument has been made and that so deli- 
cate and sensitive are its strings the most beautiful 
music can be played upon it, — the universal music 
which vibrates from the unseen to the seen, and the 
harmony of heaven is within his own life. 

Again he awakens to still greater realizations, be- 
cause he is in tune with the divine presence of his own 
life, and is playing his part as an instrument in the 
great symphony of the universe. He has individual- 



178 THE DIVINE GIFT 

ized himself as a fitted character to maintain this 
position in life, and he comes to the spiritual awaken- 
ing to just the degree in his present unfoldment, at 
the same degree as is his relationship to the unseen 
as it reveals itself to the seen. He now senses the dear 
ones that he loved in the earth life — the family ties, 
and because of these ties he realizes the beauty of 
his struggles and the suffering, and knows that he 
has experienced his re-birth from the shadow of 
his own ignorance to the glorious sunshine that radi- 
ates from his own spiritual consciousness, radiates 
from his own soul center, and he finds himself stand- 
ing in the rays of eternal spiritual light, and becomes 
more conscious of the higher teachers that are ever 
ready to assist a worthy soul that, though strong, is 
ready to be assisted because of this love for growth. 
He no longer walks in the shadow of his path life — 
perplexed as to its meaning — but he has gained the 
beautiful knowledge that there never was and never 
will be death — but that all is life, and growth, and 
re-birth. He is now to enjoy the wisdom and loving 
presence of such souls from the unseen, and realize 
how beautiful are the truths that have been given him 
through his own spiritual consciousness, that is even 
then reaching out still further toward the higher 
position where he will find still greater truth, still 
larger life, because of the spirit's incentive for 
spiritual growth. 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 179 

Thus he stands on the rock of his own life, graven 
in beautiful proportion, and firm of base, placed where 
he can view from the unseen to the higher room in 
the school — and review the lower grades that were 
as the valleys of his past experience. 

He can also feel the return of thanks sent him 
from the unseen by the souls who can now radiate 
light, life, and truth with a kindly spirituality to the 
souls who know not what they have to go through — 
and it is all wise that they know not the experience 
that awaits them in their journey to the position of 
strength and knowledge — else they would despair. 
But with the most delicate and inspiring wisdom, of 
such luminous, limitless knowledge, step by step they 
make their own conditions that they may helpfully 
harmonize with all such souls and prepare their 
backs for the burdens, and thus work out the salva- 
tion that comes through the refining processes of 
progression. 

Thus the character gains for itself absolute free- 
dom. The fetters are now broken and cast aside. 
The limited conditions are outgrown, the one-sided 
life that pertained only to the material organism has 
been rounded out into the completeness of the spirit- 
ual interblending of body and soul in the universal 
expression and liberty of the limitless, and can now 
unite with the fullness of the unseen, and be lighted 
by the radiance of truth. 



180 THE DIVINE GIFT 

He now realizes that the possibilities for the mold- 
ing and forming of larger life is endless; that still 
greater character, greater power, greater wisdom, 
greater love can be expressed, that the more fully he 
realizes that he is a universal child of the universal 
principles of God's love and life, the more freely can 
he give unto others this knowledge of the soul's pos- 
session. He has, indeed, been re-born. The archi- 
tectural work of his own life has built the rock of 
his life's balance, and foundation. 

He now understands the relation of the unseen to 
the seen. 

He looks out over the great immeasurable, unfath- 
omable life, inconceivable in all its glory of love ele- 
ments — its radiance and interblending of light — filled 
with qualities of harmony, of love, of peace, its glory 
of silence, — its breath of life that breathes with kind- 
ness to the children in the universe who cannot per- 
ceive or conceive of its wondrous possibilities — and 
then he looks back upon the little life of earth, — and 
with the largeness of his soul and spiritual compre- 
hension he feels that he can hold the earth world in 
the hollow of his hand. 

He looks upon mortals as upon babes in the uni- 
verse — some creeping, — some yet unable to creep, sit- 
ting, waiting, and hoping for growth — that they may 
creep some day — some are tottering as little babes 
learning to walk, falling, rising, onward moving, — 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 181 

falling, gaining — some seem to be developed to the 
consciousness of children in the first room in the 
school, old enough to listen, to catch some thought — 
looking for a glimpse of something spiritual that they 
may find the key that will open their own life to them- 
selves, and grow larger and go further on — thus he 
finds the earth world is but a small place in the kin- 
dergarten stage of the great world within a world, 
whose progressive wheels turn within progressive 
wheels, expressing within itself the great expression 
of all the expressions of Deity and the Universe. 

The Unseen is ever radiating back its beautiful 
expression to the children in the seen. No longer 
does the question remain unsolved to this character 
who has attained spiritual growth and vision. It is 
only with eyes of tenderness that he looks, only 
with a radiant smile, only with the loving con- 
sciousness that throbs out from the great, pulsating 
inner self as he realizes the experiences of the in- 
terblending of the unseen and the seen as it ex- 
presses itself to all mortals. 

This is the position of knowledge and wisdom in 
life. Then there is no more questioning because of 
the greatness or the smallness of life — it has all 
been answered. 

There is no more judging — because the working 
out of imperfect conditons that have been unjustly 
manifested through heritage has been accomplished, 



182 THE DIVINE GIFT 

and the great Judge of all Judges has judged not 
the children of earth — the less fortunate brothers 
and sisters in the school of life. 

It is all one great moving, onward, upward, un- 
folding, growing, and experiencing and expressing 
the still higher life elements and princples that are 
breathing forth in every pore of his material organ- 
ism — the finding of the way to the very fountain of 
his life, absorbing, releasing, becoming still more 
refined and purified by the great refining of the uni- 
verse that is ever moving and turning — because 
motion is the causation of all life — and with this 
great moving and refining process the jewel from 
within — or the unseen of his own life — is becoming 
more brilliant, more radiant because of the still 
more refined elements that are still hewing and cut- 
ting and grinding this gem into still more perfect 
form, and because of its more perfect form, the 
more radiance it expresses. 

We find the onward growth never ceases, and in 
the meantime the seeds of all the loving acts that 
have been cast by the pulsating of the inner life 
have become as beautiful flowers, still unfolding in 
more delicate expressions, more beautiful in forma- 
tion, lovelier to behold because the spiritual eyes 
have been made clearer, the senses have become 
finer, and penetrate more comprehensively into the 
life of this plane. These elements are in harmony 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 183 

because spirit and soul in the material organism 
have made a character unfold as a universal being 
in the universe of life, receiving the still more re- 
fined, the still more beautiful, the still more perfect, 
because the soul is still a more perfect power in life, 
better fitted to move onward in the great processes 
of all life's motions in Deity's universe, to a greater 
degree of helpfulness, both in the unseen and the 
seen. 

Thus we find that this soul may be a type in ex- 
pression of a part of the universe that has worked 
its way up through all darkness and obstructions, 
and lonely hours of despair, wandering in the ob- 
scure avenues and fogs of material life, struggling 
upward to the heights where he has found the re- 
lationship of the unseen to the seen, accomplishing 
this at last through such efforts of faithfulness to 
self in the response to the call of the voices of the 
unseen, that thus inspired he has become a beauti- 
fully developed being in the higher perfections of 
the perfect elements of the higher life. He has be- 
come radiant as a part of the higher soul self, and 
has thus caused the universe of eternity to move 
out into still larger expressions. And because he 
has learned the great lesson of life that has ever 
been spoken to the soul of all human life, that has 
ever hovered over the hearts of all souls with such 



184 THE DIVINE GIFT 

tenderness and love to God in his universe, he has 
entered into the very causation of the relation of 
the Unseen to the seen. 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 185 



CHAPTER XIII. 



THE SPIRITUAL. 

We have gathered together in the divine source 
of our highest spirituality opening our conscious- 
ness through its highest avenues of our own life 
elements which are spiritual, and close our material 
self, that in this way we may gather thoughts and 
visions from the unknown that will aid each one in 
the progressive journey of life from this time 
throughout all future experiences. 

There are three beautiful souls that now appear 
to my vision at this time from the unknown source 
of life, drifting downward from higher conditions 
in what at first seems like a luminous vapor, trans- 
parent and bright like white and gold. This is 
not material but formed of spiritual substance. As 
the three spirits draw nearer I see that their gar- 
ments are very etherial, their faces look almost 
transparent, such is their soul refinement, yet they 



186 THE DIVINE GIFT 

are radiant with light, life and spirituality. Their 
eyes seem to speak with the reflection of heaven. 
They are peace within themselves, and fill my soul 
with more than mortal lips could possibly explain. 
If you were to behold them they would lift you to 
such a high consciousness of spiritual atmosphere 
you would be willing to leave your position in earth 
life and journey with them. Their thought ex- 
presses volumes to you. Their smile is filled with 
character and with love. They are radiating the 
highest principles of light because of their years of 
progression and unfoldment in higher truths. 

They smile and say they are quite pleased with 
the effort to describe them. The other spirit is a 
man who is like a fortress, a mountain of strength 
and power that lives within his character. He 
shows absolute control and mastery of himself and 
his position, whatever condition or whatever the 
experience under which he is placed may be. He 
has the pilot's seat in the vehicle that has brought 
them here, and as I ask for an explanation of this 
wonderful conveyance which they seem to be trav- 
eling in, he tells me it is made of spiritual substance, 
designed through spiritual mental power and wis- 
dom, and that while in this unknown source of life 
there is no material apparatus of any kind, the men- 
tality is all that is necessary in bringing together 
suitable elements for the construction of any kind 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 187 

of mechanism one wishes to use, provided he or she 
has learned the laws of life sufficiently in every 
phase, to use the mental power in whatever rate of 
vibration is necessary for the designing and con- 
structing of the contrivance desired. 

I understand that according to the unfoldment 
and development of consciousness of souls in this 
plane that they are permitted to have all they as 
entities are capable of constructing by the unfold- 
ment of their own powers through the wisdom of 
the deific principles of higher life, and through the 
principles that live in all creation from the lowest 
to the highest. That life element holds everything 
in it necessary to live in, and in which to develop 
and operate all things that are necessary in life, all 
things that are beautiful, and this is true on every 
plane of existence throughout eternity, and in just 
the degree of usefulness and beauty, and adaptabil- 
ity that the life principles in the individual mind 
can unfold, and use — this we find in the plane of 
the unknown. 

They have reached the progressive stage here 
where they can construct beautiful things for 
themselves according to their own genius and add 
to the comfort and pleasure of others. They are 
not limited as to wonderful devices, beauty of de- 
sign, or skillful construction, because they are con- 
scious of limitless intelligence that is continuously 



188 THE DIVINE GIFT 

unfolding in all who are in these spheres of pro- 
gression. So we find that this spirit has constructed 
this beautiful vehicle, that is wonderful beyond hu- 
man expression. It is delicate in finish, radiant 
in color, etherial in appearance, modeled unlike any- 
thing constructed for travel on the earth plane, 
either by land, or water, or atmosphere, but com- 
bines in its form the highest principles of adapta- 
bility to the etherial ethers, and by its own inherent 
powers of elements that are intelligence themselves 
seems to guide itself in complete obedience to the 
wishes of the spirit master. 

Firm and strong, yet light and graceful, it em- 
bodies the truth that the highest elements are the 
most refined and powerful and that they are the 
cause of all that is lower, that here in the earthly 
plane we work in their material form, not realizing 
that these very life impulses exist in higher vibra- 
tions that can be so easily manifested in mechanical- 
spiritual constructions through the unfolded wis- 
dom of the higher beings as they perceive the qual- 
ities and the uses of the elements and substances 
that are living principles of every form that the uni- 
verse contains, and that also through these living 
principles is the inspiration or vibratory cause of all 
the advance that takes place on any plane of life. 
Thus nature's forms reproduce themselves, by their 
living principles in every condition, under all cir- 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 189 

cumstances, and in systematic progression. This 
spirit addresses the other two angels of light, and 
bows to them in reverence as if it were a privilege 
to know two such souls and a privilege to be in 
their presence, but this is given him because he has 
been faithful in his field of service for human right 
and the advance of those who are here in the earth 
plane. The other two souls have deemed it their 
pleasure to encourage and assist him in his won- 
derful work and struggle that ignorance may be 
dispelled in the material plane and man brought 
into a larger realization of life and activity and have 
more knowledge of the wonderful constructions in 
every plane of existence. 

The atmosphere of these souls might be spoken 
of as the breath of heaven that has breathed upon 
us. 

They have now this unfoldment for themselves 
through years and centuries of progressive life. As 
they start upward I feel my own soul consciousness 
gliding away with them because of the powerful 
centers of their own lives, because of the loving, 
attractive atmosphere of purity, and I would gladly 
drift with them even if it meant never to return. 

Their coming is to reach out more into the soul 
center of the universe to gather at this time more 
truth from that source, for this is necessary to com- 
plete the work that the world shall awaken to this 



190 THE DIVINE GIFT 

wisdom and use it. This is being done because of 
the result that will be obtained through the clear- 
ness of this truth, through the beauty of its methods 
that these souls are preparing to give to the world. 
We are carried a little nearer this great center of 
life of spirit energy, to that circle of truth that is 
made up of the essences that have been gained by 
the progression and development and advancement 
and expansion and unfoldment of smaller truths 
into larger truths. This is the result of the eternal 
progression of every entity, while enlarging their 
own life they have added to this fountain, this soul 
center (from whence their life came), for everything 
is done through natural causes. Something cannot 
be formed or developed or created from nothing — 
but it is the unfoldment and development out of 
the larger things of the universe, out from these 
life principles to human consciousness, both in earth 
and in spirit, that growth and development of even 
the worlds of matter, as well as spirit, is constantly 
building for the finer construction of souls as spirits 
pass onward. In these life principles is all that is 
necessary for all growth. 

In this sphere of matter mankind is constantly 
improving conditions through a better knowledge 
of science and is continually adding to the world of 
beauty in this material plane. The whole universe 
is being unfolded into finer realizations because 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 191 

progressed souls have unfolded in their own con- 
sciousness and in the consciousness of all the life 
principles that they contain within themselves. All 
this gives mankind freer action and a higher out- 
look. 

This is the causation of the continual unfoldment. 
It is the outreaching of human life to the source of 
its own inspiration and wisdom. 

This soul center holds these life principles, and 
every entity is also a center of life principles, yet 
this is the center of all centers. Its outward appear- 
ance was described in a former lecture, while now 
we are to obtain more knowledge of its power and 
action. 

As I behold it from this wonderful vehicle of 
light, with these beautiful souls who assist me to 
this position, I can see that the inner circle of this 
center is continuously moving, and revolving, and 
turning and vibrating with an indescribable motion 
of rapidity. This is not the abiding place of souls 
who have lived in earth-life and have progressed to 
this center, but because of this wonderful expansive- 
ness of life, this motion and vibration and action, 
this gathering of forces and powers, it is from the 
highest entities, from these life principles that con- 
tain everything necessary for life, that there have 
been emanating as sparks (if you wish a familiar 
illustration) from entities in progression and because 



192 THE DIVINE GIFT 

of processes within itself that this soul center is 
the birthplace of souls who are filled with all these 
life elements and principles, which is the essence of 
spirit, made up of the wisdom of the universe, and 
are thus born and molded into form to enter into 
the earth-life there clothed with the physical body, 
for the complete individualization, to experience 
life in its natural order to go up the ladder of pro- 
gression, onward from mother earth, upward 
through every plane, until they become unfolded 
souls, not only unfolded within themselves, but 
from experiences have added to their consciousness 
of all life, and have added living elements to the 
fountain that gave them their immortal birth, and 
have fulfilled the law — they have taken nothing 
without giving something — and they have won 
their own growth and by their wisdom and power 
are luminous intelligence to guide others to the 
same unfoldment of consciousness. 

They fill their positions as masters in a masterly 
way. All the life faculties are surrounding this 
center and the all-wise life is ever encircling the 
outer circles of this center. There are many circles 
within this great center and it is a wonderful pro- 
cess of interblending of powers that is beyond the 
expression of human language to describe what I 
see and what I sense. 

,Yet I hope some new thought has been gathered 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 193 

as a new truth that will add to the completeness and 
better understanding of the principles of universal 
progression, and of the life elements of the universe. 
I would that man may have an intelligent idea of 
the universe of life, and know that it is not a place 
created by any one special being, that superstition 
and error have taught. We no longer want ignor- 
ance as a stumbling block in life, but we desire that 
when man leaves the earthly expression he may 
pass on and not look back with regret upon a 
wasted period of time, but that he may know that 
through truth, he has built for himself a wonderful 
existence through the endless chain of thought, 
every link of which is perfect in its fulfillment of 
the law of progression and unfoldment throughout 
the endless spheres of eternity. 

That he no longer may wish to worship idols, but 
as a conscious being realize that nothing is so high, 
so pure, so ennobling but that it is offered to him 
for his uses in every-day life, for his unfoldment of 
character, for his right use of all his powers and 
for his harmonization of all that is in every expres- 
sion and every experience of his whole being, that 
he may live and realize that through his higher fac- 
ulties he may have all knowledge of the constructive 
purposes and principles, and may understand his 
own individuality and its relationship to all human- 
ity. May his mind be cleansed of its past conditions 



194 THE DIVINE GIFT 

and superstitions, and may his heart be unlocked by 
a new desire for life. He will realize that a new 
flower has been unfolded within, and that he can 
live in the beauty of its fragrance and love, for the 
love from the heights has such life principles, it 
has no limitations, but opens the understanding to 
everything it is capable of knowing and realizing. 
Its luminous beauty floods the life with a radiance 
that is unspeakable — beyond explanation, and be- 
cause of man's spiritual birthright he has the im- 
mortal incentive for growth and unfoldment in wis- 
dom and in such a life as these beautiful souls have 
lifted me into, that there I may gather truths that 
speak not with mortal lips but reveals itself in the 
beauty of life that thrills the soul by its silent utter- 
ances and revelations — the language of the unseen 
and the unknown to mortals here. 

This is a guiding star that you may be led to 
know more of deific love and principle that inspire 
the consciousness of all who have opened this gate- 
way of spirit to see and know that their own har- 
mony is heaven, and that this short message is but 
one more round in the ladder of progression where- 
by they may ascend higher and live nearer the 
higher privileges of the spiritual plane. 



OF MEDIUMSHIP 195 



A medium is one who stands at the divine gate- 
way of mortal and spirit life, who receives and 
transmits thoughts between the two worlds. 



A Spiritualist is one who has unfolded the prin- 
ciples of the soul into mortal consciousness. 



Let he who is perfect, demand perfection. 



Let he who will think, know the truth. 



The truth will set you free. 



tl5R^5X ...9.1 ; congress 1 



III 

022 172 011 8 



